Has the Earth started moving faster lately? Or its just me? (Winks)
Indeed, Google buying Motorola is one of the biggest events of tech world in 2011. It can’t get any bigger than this.
On August 15, 2011 – CEO of Google, Larry Page announced a major news on their Official Google blog that they (Google) is acquiring Motorola Mobility – a company with having over 80 years of experience in innovating, developing new technologies, mobile computing, intellectual property and grand brand value.
All this leading to many questions, confusions about Android, Chrome OS, Google partners and new-born tougher competition.
Why Google Is Buying Motorola?
Only in the last week I was talking to friends about how Google smartly created Android, Android market and how it benefitted the companies like HTC and Samsung to get their share they deserve in the market simply for their qualitative efforts in delivering the promised hardware and software.
But, lets not forget that these companies too have contributed in Android’s success.
Recent decision of buying Motorola seems like Google is coming harder to create tougher competition against the old friends and still play on defense against Apple, Nokia + Microsoft in patent wars they’re fighting these days. This way, they will own lots of patents Motorola managed to get over the years.
Does Google want to be like Apple and BlackBerry to have own hardware and software to play with? Well, we can not discard this possibility because since 2007 when Android was first launched, used in Google TV to now on mobile phones and tablets by different manufacturers – Google might have missed the crisper hardware they ever wanted for their software. It will also allow Google to come out from the brand frame of Internet tools and Android maker company to further gain much broader identity.
However, I don’t think $12.5 billion is worth which might turn friends into new enemies and the greed to achieve more will always destroy too many on the way.
Will Google Make Partners Feel Confident?
Though Google has clarified that Android will remain an open platform while they will run Motorola as a separate entity for getting Google into hardware business, there could still be a fog in minds of its partners / licensees about the effect and outcome on Android licensing for their devices.
Google now has more work to do to make these manufacturers feel confident about the proceedings and also to keep the positive spirit alive among everyone by not bringing any tougher policy changes in licensing Android.
Also, it’s not just about the Android. Google announced their Chrome OS in partnership withAcer and Samsung to offer netbooks. HP is coming with a web-OS very soon. So, Google can have an upper hand by owning a hardware company that can produce ChromeOS netbooks.
Google became stronger in mobile computing due to open-sourced Android and now Moto deal will give all the necessary powers to Google to rule. I just hope Google to not spoil the game.
It’s all inter-linked and Google now has the greatest power to imbalance the Android devices market.
Nokia Must Be Smiling At This Situation
Nokia isn’t gaining any popularity now but to me their new MeeGo linux based N9 handsetlooked very promising. Nokia had a deal with Microsoft few months back to only use Windows Mobile as their official mobile OS. I don’t think it was a great deal but at least they’re not bothered by not choosing Android and must be feeling better than other mobile companies.
Good For Moto
All said, this deal is probably the best option Motorola has. They have plenty of revamped mobile devices in their shelves (courtesy Android) but still they haven’t managed to convert it in to much cash lately. Now by having the giant on their side – they can shake things up really well.
We can expect new Android features coming to Motorola devices first and then on other devices. Google would certainly do that to boost Moto’s popularity in the market.
A Google-Moto Android Chip?
Its loud, but will Google try to create a whole new set of hardware specifically designed to run Android or ChromeOS? Probably, a new processor chip? Why not! If they wish to create a brand for mobile hardware then they should. This will bring lot of money in from other mobile manufacturers who rely on different companies to give them necessary hardware elements like processor and memory. Samsung is one of the largest mobile hardware suppliers to many mobile brands in the world apart from having their own popular product line.
There are millions of Google fans out there who will readily buy Google hardware no matter how much they cost.
A Big Known Success Or Unknown Failure?
Google hasn’t had any failure in the past (unless it was Google Wave) and is still one of most successful companies, best search engine which solely rules the Internet. Whereas Motorola seemed more traditionally run fatherly company which is talented, fulfilling yet failed to gain deserved popularity in modern tech world.
Does Google seriously believe in Moto and plans to create a hardware profile for renowned brand? Or
Will they sell-off the hardware division to someone to manage while keeping the patents with them? – only the time will tell. The entire acquisition is expected to be completed by early 2012.
Will they sell-off the hardware division to someone to manage while keeping the patents with them? – only the time will tell. The entire acquisition is expected to be completed by early 2012.
This acquisition is either going to be a massive success or might become Titanic.
I hope that Google and Motorola keeps the earth moving at steady pace and not create a polar shift in the green world of Android community that we have just started to love.
Update #1 | February 14, 2012
The US Justice Department & European regulators showed green signal to acquisition of Motorola Mobility by Google. The prime concern as we saw above was whether this deal could create significant difficulties to other major players like Samsung & HTC. All of these manufacturers are using Android as their main mobile OS.
The regulators were closely investigating on possibility of restrictions on using Android to other phone manufacturers. They eventually concluded the otherwise saying “This merger is unlikely to change existing market dynamics”.
What’s your Moto?
0 comments:
Post a Comment