Google to Acquire Motorola Mobility for $12.5 Billion

[Rob Williams]

Not respecting the fact that some people like to kick off their Monday slowly to help get themselves into a groove for the rest of the work week, Google's CEO Larry Page announced via the company's official blog its plans to acquire Motorola Mobility for a healthy $12.5 billion. This, my friends, is the sort of news that makes this industry interesting, if not exciting.

Read the rest of our post and then discuss it here!

 

[MacMan]

Interesting indeed! However, some are pointing out that it could "Sabotage Android"!

http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarg...e-android-success-with-motorola-mobility-buy/
The news is like Google set off a tech nuclear explosion, but what it will mean I'm not sure? Some, like Jonny Evans, doesn't buy into the idea that it will end up being either good for Google or Android:

http://blogs.computerworld.com/1880...nes_apples_android_advantage?source=rss_blogs

Personally, I think that if the U.S. doesn't block the deal out of anti-trust concerns, the European Union might very well will? Google is under anti-trust investigation already and this isn't going to help them one iota.

Still, it makes for exciting times even if it takes a serious bit out of Google's cash horde, and one that will impact its ability to do more in the future.

 

[marfig]

I can assure you, over here in Europe such an antitrust case will be a stillborn. Especially because of the reasons Google gave to purchasing Motorola. It's a defensive move. Currently Android is facing a non-stopping barrage that is even starting to seriously affect it's partners too... see Samsung for instance. Who basically can't sell a Galaxy Tab outside the black market.

I do agree however that this does look like it could seriously damage Google. I'm confused especially at what they plan to do with the mobile division. It's just that Google current hardware partners will no be very happy if they have to start competing directly with their own OS provider! On the other hand I wouldn't like seeing them scrapping a nearly 100 year old company because of some defensive patents and a rather dubious future in the mobile sector that Google still needs to prove being capable of. If Motorola goes, I'll blame Google.