7 ms·

If there is one company I trust to not screw this up it's Google and I think they have a good shot at getting this right. I'm sure their partner companies are

by 51Cards 15y ago

If there is one company I trust to not screw this up it's Google and I think they have a good shot at getting this right. I'm sure their partner companies are going to be a bit ansy to start but they all compete on hardware / price anyhow which this doesn't change. A few points that pop to mind: A. They already had to compete with Motorola, so they haven't lost or gained a new competitor. B. They don't pay for Android so Motorola hasn't gotten some new financial edge. Google just has to ensure that all companies still get source releases at the same time. What they do with them is up to them. (aside: I expect we will see MotoBlur disappear with some of its key features rolled into future Android releases) C. This will allow Google to protect Android much better which is very beneficial to their bottom lines, especially if it keeps patent licensing costs off of their products. D. Google just has to be sure they don't play favorites but from what I have seen up until now they have been good about that. E. This may have just brought the competition for who gets to build the next Nexus to an end. (unless the next Nexus is already basically "done" at another partner company) I think they can get this right... and now hopefully we can get a whole line of nice Motorola hardware with current Android and unlocked boot-loaders, etc. I might have to reconsider the Droid 3 again (more like Droid 4 one day, since 3 is already in the wild as is)

ristretto 15y ago
A) But they didnt have to compete with Google so they have a new competitor B) There is a lot at stake here, a good solution would be to donate android to an independent "Android foundation" D) Still, google's phones will always be one step ahead with technologies that are hard to compete, like voice recognition, navigation and search. In any case this could be a phenomenal move, and may even be a big boost for android tablets and other embedded devices, an unexploited area. It sounds like Google would like to try android on anything from cars, tvs and washing machines, but 3rd partners were unwilling to take the risk. Now they have their own hardware division.
- bad_user 15y ago
  B) a foundation would be either a total facade for the current status quo (i.e. Google controlling everything Android), like the JCP is, or would be a really bad idea -- after all, if these phone makers could have created a good smartphone platform, they wouldn't have needed Android in the first place D) not necessarily; currently Google's partners have access to the latest Android developments before the public release. And I don't think stuff like voice recognition, navigation and search requires special hardware, otherwise all the software and apps do get released. I actually think that Android phone-makers will be happy, because it is not in Google's interests to fuck up the Android ecosystem just so they can sell their own phones. They are not and never will be like Apple, they will never enjoy the huge profit margins that Apple does -- it is in their best interests however for Google's apps to be the default on all mobiles.
dlikhten 15y ago
To add: a) there will be at least 1 company focused on android which will be protected with the cloth that is Google's legal team. b) Google can make Motorola better c) Google can make hardware to go with their software. d) Google can finally make Motorola phones running android open. e) We can finally see what it means for a hardware company to exist with a motto: "Don't be Evil". Sure Google is not perfect, but all other companies have the motto: "Money first, morals second." f) Google can make an incredible experience which would become the de-facto standard for Android phones. Finally killing off HTC sense.
- podperson 15y ago
  I hope you're right. But Google has certainly sold it to its Android partners as "we're going to use their patents to defend your crapware-ridden half-assed locked down handsets and then smother the hardware people with this wet pillow": http://www.google.com/press/motorola/quotes/ http://www.google.com/press/motorola/quotes/
  - ericd 15y ago
    Wow, those quotes all sound the same... it's almost eerie. We welcome today’s news, which demonstrates Google’s deep commitment to defending Android, its partners, and the ecosystem. We welcome the news of today‘s acquisition, which demonstrates that Google is deeply committed to defending Android, its partners, and the entire ecosystem. I welcome Google‘s commitment to defending Android and its partners. We welcome Google‘s commitment to defending Android and its partners. Those quotes are from the heads of 4 major companies...
    - com 15y ago
      It's not just almost eerie. It really is, and makes me think of zombies walking. PR zombies. Seriously, though, I imagine that there are pretty intense discussions taking place within a number of handset manufacturers right now about how to manage their risk: * treat (but how? it's a Gulliver situation even for someone like Samsung) * transfer (almost impossible to transfer the risks in this situation unless you join the MS camp) * accept (and have your shareholders crucify you if you made the wrong call) A very brave move from Google (in the Yes, Minister sense)
junkbit 15y ago
True, but Larry said in the call that Moto will have to bid to become the halo device each year on an equal footing
- SoftwareMaven 15y ago
  "My son is going to have to bid to get the contract to build the new city building, just like anybody else. He will be on equal footing." I won't believe it until I see a regular pattern of Moto not getting picked. That goes against too much human nature.
  - olalonde 15y ago
    Well as far as I know, Google search doesn't tweak its algorithm to rank Google owned websites higher. This alone gives them some credibility...
    - recoiledsnake 15y ago
      Except, of course, things like Maps and Places and stock quotes etc. etc..
      - mahyarm 15y ago
        That is not algorithm tweaking, that's a separate search.
    - nicpottier 15y ago
      Perhaps not, but they seem perfectly willing to use their search monopoly to help their Android business. When the original Nexus launched they ran an add on the google.com homepage, right under the search bar, for what? Two weeks? Can you imagine what that would cost any other manufacturer? I'm really surprised they haven't been called on it yet..
  - rmrm 15y ago
    the Nexus device gets a lot of press as its the first out of the gate with the new build, but realistically, even if that remains as they say it doesn't seem like it would matter much if Google does the rest of it right -- meaning stock Android, and Google updating the SW quickly and over decent time interval. It seems most likely to me that the Nexus program will remain in place, but Motorola will have multiple "Nexus" type phones in the way that matters to consumers. Not first always, but with all the other properties of the Nexus. At least I hope that is where Google take this. It seems unlikely they would skin Android, and I'd hope they act as best of class in the SW update part of things. Lots of interesting things here. This would make Google the #1 set top box provider in the country. I'm sure the mfg doesn't have too many degrees of freedom there, but still interesting.
bobby9997 15y ago
Motorola Mobility’s total commitment to Android has created a natural fit for our two companies. http://www.cheatsden.com/google-acquire-motorola-mobility-for-12-5-billion-in-cash/ http://www.cheatsden.com/google-acquire-motorola-mobility-fo...

by 51Cards 15y ago

ristretto 15y ago

A) But they didnt have to compete with Google so they have a new competitor B) There is a lot at stake here, a good solution would be to donate android to an independent "Android foundation" D) Still, google's phones will always be one step ahead with technologies that are hard to compete, like voice recognition, navigation and search. In any case this could be a phenomenal move, and may even be a big boost for android tablets and other embedded devices, an unexploited area. It sounds like Google would like to try android on anything from cars, tvs and washing machines, but 3rd partners were unwilling to take the risk. Now they have their own hardware division.

bad_user 15y ago
B) a foundation would be either a total facade for the current status quo (i.e. Google controlling everything Android), like the JCP is, or would be a really bad idea -- after all, if these phone makers could have created a good smartphone platform, they wouldn't have needed Android in the first place D) not necessarily; currently Google's partners have access to the latest Android developments before the public release. And I don't think stuff like voice recognition, navigation and search requires special hardware, otherwise all the software and apps do get released. I actually think that Android phone-makers will be happy, because it is not in Google's interests to fuck up the Android ecosystem just so they can sell their own phones. They are not and never will be like Apple, they will never enjoy the huge profit margins that Apple does -- it is in their best interests however for Google's apps to be the default on all mobiles.

dlikhten 15y ago

To add: a) there will be at least 1 company focused on android which will be protected with the cloth that is Google's legal team. b) Google can make Motorola better c) Google can make hardware to go with their software. d) Google can finally make Motorola phones running android open. e) We can finally see what it means for a hardware company to exist with a motto: "Don't be Evil". Sure Google is not perfect, but all other companies have the motto: "Money first, morals second." f) Google can make an incredible experience which would become the de-facto standard for Android phones. Finally killing off HTC sense.

podperson 15y ago
I hope you're right. But Google has certainly sold it to its Android partners as "we're going to use their patents to defend your crapware-ridden half-assed locked down handsets and then smother the hardware people with this wet pillow": http://www.google.com/press/motorola/quotes/ http://www.google.com/press/motorola/quotes/
- ericd 15y ago
  Wow, those quotes all sound the same... it's almost eerie. We welcome today’s news, which demonstrates Google’s deep commitment to defending Android, its partners, and the ecosystem. We welcome the news of today‘s acquisition, which demonstrates that Google is deeply committed to defending Android, its partners, and the entire ecosystem. I welcome Google‘s commitment to defending Android and its partners. We welcome Google‘s commitment to defending Android and its partners. Those quotes are from the heads of 4 major companies...
  - com 15y ago
    It's not just almost eerie. It really is, and makes me think of zombies walking. PR zombies. Seriously, though, I imagine that there are pretty intense discussions taking place within a number of handset manufacturers right now about how to manage their risk: * treat (but how? it's a Gulliver situation even for someone like Samsung) * transfer (almost impossible to transfer the risks in this situation unless you join the MS camp) * accept (and have your shareholders crucify you if you made the wrong call) A very brave move from Google (in the Yes, Minister sense)

junkbit 15y ago

True, but Larry said in the call that Moto will have to bid to become the halo device each year on an equal footing

SoftwareMaven 15y ago
"My son is going to have to bid to get the contract to build the new city building, just like anybody else. He will be on equal footing." I won't believe it until I see a regular pattern of Moto not getting picked. That goes against too much human nature.
- olalonde 15y ago
  Well as far as I know, Google search doesn't tweak its algorithm to rank Google owned websites higher. This alone gives them some credibility...
  - recoiledsnake 15y ago
    Except, of course, things like Maps and Places and stock quotes etc. etc..
    - mahyarm 15y ago
      That is not algorithm tweaking, that's a separate search.
  - nicpottier 15y ago
    Perhaps not, but they seem perfectly willing to use their search monopoly to help their Android business. When the original Nexus launched they ran an add on the google.com homepage, right under the search bar, for what? Two weeks? Can you imagine what that would cost any other manufacturer? I'm really surprised they haven't been called on it yet..
- rmrm 15y ago
  the Nexus device gets a lot of press as its the first out of the gate with the new build, but realistically, even if that remains as they say it doesn't seem like it would matter much if Google does the rest of it right -- meaning stock Android, and Google updating the SW quickly and over decent time interval. It seems most likely to me that the Nexus program will remain in place, but Motorola will have multiple "Nexus" type phones in the way that matters to consumers. Not first always, but with all the other properties of the Nexus. At least I hope that is where Google take this. It seems unlikely they would skin Android, and I'd hope they act as best of class in the SW update part of things. Lots of interesting things here. This would make Google the #1 set top box provider in the country. I'm sure the mfg doesn't have too many degrees of freedom there, but still interesting.

bobby9997 15y ago

Motorola Mobility’s total commitment to Android has created a natural fit for our two companies. http://www.cheatsden.com/google-acquire-motorola-mobility-for-12-5-billion-in-cash/ http://www.cheatsden.com/google-acquire-motorola-mobility-fo...