tpkatl
join:2009-11-16
Dacula, GA | Wonderful news As a long time Android supporter and user, and a former Motorola user, this is great news. If for no other reason than it will provide excellent defensive ammunition against attacks Apple and Oracle.
The other folks who ought to be worried are Verizon and Cingular (AT&T). They may get squeezed. If I am not mistaken, Google owns some spectrum as well.
This could shake a lot of things up. |
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 LinklistPremium
join:2002-03-03
Longport, NJ
kudos:5 | said by tpkatl:This could shake a lot of things up.
I don't think so. It just makes it harder for some Google competitors to shake them down in court with patent lawsuits. It can save Google a lot of money by avoiding some lawsuits, but I doubt it will make them a bigger player in cellphones other than protecting Android a little bit.
Will this make Motorola smartphones relevant again? I doubt it.
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| reply to tpkatl
Don't see this really benefiting consumers much. Maybe Google plan is to force Verizon AT&T to allow all features of phone usable. No disable of apps they don't like or tethering etc. But then they will just say fine we don't want it.
When Google either builds a cell network or buys say sprint and a few regional carriers nothing will change. Even then its a short term shack up. As soon as Google see the mass amount of consumer ripoffs they can profit from they will do the exact same thing as VZ and AT&T |
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openbox9Premium
join:2004-01-26
japan
kudos:2 | reply to Linklist
Agreed! As the big boys race for patents, most acquisitions in this space will be for the IP. I imagine that Google acquiring a hardware manufacturer is simply a bonus in this situation. |
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openbox9Premium
join:2004-01-26
japan
kudos:2 | reply to tpkatl
said by tpkatl:The other folks who ought to be worried are Verizon and Cingular (AT&T). They may get squeezed. If I am not mistaken, Google owns some spectrum as well. If Google wanted to compete in this space, it would have acquired a wireless company opposed to a hardware manufacturer. I don't see much changing at all for any of this except for fewer patent battles. |
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 GooberPremium
join:2000-12-17
Naperville, IL
kudos:5
 ·Dish Network
| reply to openbox9
I don't think it's a bonus. I think it's probably part of what they had to do.
It's interesting to note that Motorola is going to be run as a standalone business and will not be folded into the Google collective. This likely means that eventually Google will take the patents, keep the $4B in cash and spin off the handset manufacturing to someone like HTC and sell off the set top box business. When it's all said and done, Google will have gotten the industries strongest tcom patent portfolio for not much more than it would have spent for the Nortel stuff.
I can't imagine Google wants to become a manufacturer. I also can't imagine that Motorola handsets will sell better if they are owned by Google. Motorola can't seem to make a handset that sells to save their life. I don't think the new owners will change will change that fact, even if they wanted. |
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openbox9Premium
join:2004-01-26
japan
kudos:2 | I agree, it is all about the patent portfolio. Google has already proven that it doesn't want to be in the business of manufacturing/retailing and the customer support nightmare that goes along with it. You're right, Google may sell-off the Motorola carcass after grabbing the patent portfolio. |
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| reply to Goober
said by Goober: This likely means that eventually Google will take the patents, keep the $4B in cash and spin off the handset manufacturing to someone like HTC and sell off the set top box business. When it's all said and done, Google will have gotten the industries strongest tcom patent portfolio for not much more than it would have spent for the Nortel stuff.
I can't imagine Google wants to become a manufacturer. I also can't imagine that Motorola handsets will sell better if they are owned by Google. Motorola can't seem to make a handset that sells to save their life. I don't think the new owners will change will change that fact, even if they wanted.
The settop box acquisition is significant. It's the perfect opportunity to push the Google TV platform. |
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openbox9Premium
join:2004-01-26
japan
kudos:2 | If Google can get the content owners on board  |
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| said by openbox9:If Google can get the content owners on board
Google doesn't have to get the content owners on board if they integrate GoogleTV into Motorola settops. They already have very large settop customers that have content owners on board. |
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GooberPremium
join:2000-12-17
Naperville, IL
kudos:5 Reviews:
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| reply to fifty nine
They don't want to be in manufacturing. I guarantee that they'll spin of all the manufacturing part of the business. Of course, Google will put into place licensing and supply deals to push their wares. But, they won't go into manufacturing. It's not high margin enough.
I was here at Mot when the GI acquisition was made. It's not an easy or high margin business. Of course, neither is the handset one. Why do you think Qualcomm dumped their handset business. They've been better off for it. I doubt Google has the desire to be in manufacturing.
This is all really about the IP. |
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| reply to fifty nine
said by fifty nine:The settop box acquisition is significant. It's the perfect opportunity to push the Google TV platform.
There is no settop box acquisition. That's the OTHER Motorola. This is Motorola Mobility, which is the wireless business only. Motorola forked into two companies a few years back.
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GooberPremium
join:2000-12-17
Naperville, IL
kudos:5 Reviews:
·Dish Network
| said by aelfwyne:said by fifty nine:The settop box acquisition is significant. It's the perfect opportunity to push the Google TV platform.
There is no settop box acquisition. That's the OTHER Motorola. This is Motorola Mobility, which is the wireless business only. Motorola forked into two companies a few years back. Wrong. Mobility encompasses set top and handset. Solutions is the rest of it. Basically the old commercial and government sectors.
Take my word for it. I have first-hand knowledge. |
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iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Golden, CO
kudos:2 | reply to Linklist
Droids are solid devices. Some folks may prefer HTC or Samsung (I own a Galaxy S variant) but if I was a Verizon customer the Dorid 3 would look mighty tempting right now. |
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| reply to aelfwyne
said by aelfwyne:said by fifty nine:The settop box acquisition is significant. It's the perfect opportunity to push the Google TV platform.
There is no settop box acquisition. That's the OTHER Motorola. This is Motorola Mobility, which is the wireless business only. Motorola forked into two companies a few years back. Dead wrong.
Motorola mobility handles the CPE end of the market.
Basically Mobility became the consumer products division and Motorola solutions was business/Govt. |
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iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Golden, CO
kudos:2 | reply to dcurrey
Google is an advertising company. Restricting data access restricts ad views. If Google builds a cell network (they won't, not near-term at least) they'll try to keep things niceand open because it'll gain more ad views for them. |
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openbox9Premium
join:2004-01-26
japan
kudos:2 | reply to skuv
We'll see about that. The content owners are resisting distribution outside of normal channels at every possible turn. They also view Google as enemy number one. Doesn't seem like a good combination for what Google likely wants to achieve with set tops. Besides, the cable companies aren't going to be fond of Google advertisements in lieu of their own. |
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| reply to Goober
said by Goober:They don't want to be in manufacturing. I guarantee that they'll spin of all the manufacturing part of the business. Of course, Google will put into place licensing and supply deals to push their wares. But, they won't go into manufacturing. It's not high margin enough.
I was here at Mot when the GI acquisition was made. It's not an easy or high margin business. Of course, neither is the handset one. Why do you think Qualcomm dumped their handset business. They've been better off for it. I doubt Google has the desire to be in manufacturing.
This is all really about the IP.
I think it's about the IP too. I also doubt Google wants to get into manufacturing.
They could do this two ways - outsource the manufacturing or spin off the manufacturing division. You're right the latter does seem more feasible than the former. |
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GooberPremium
join:2000-12-17
Naperville, IL
kudos:5 | I agree. One of those two things is the most likely scenario for the manufacturing side. But, like you said in an earlier post, there's very little doubt that they'll somehow push Google TV into STBs. |
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 jgkoltPremium
join:2004-02-21
Lakewood, OH | reply to openbox9
is the set top box business even part of Motorola mobility? |
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