As of today, Motorola CEO Dennis Woodside, took to his own blog for the company to announce that they would be in the hands of Lenovo. Google sold Motorola for $2.91 billion and Samsung could be behind it all. Before I continue though, here is what Larry Page, Google CEO, had to say on this move:
Directly Quoted from Larry Page: "We acquired Motorola in 2012 to help supercharge the Android ecosystem by creating a stronger patent portfolio for Google and great smartphones for users. Over the past 19 months, Dennis Woodside and the Motorola team have done a tremendous job reinventing the company. They’ve focused on building a smaller number of great (and great value) smartphones that consumers love. Both the Moto G and the Moto X are doing really well, and I’m very excited about the smartphone lineup for 2014. And on the intellectual property side, Motorola’s patents have helped create a level playing field, which is good news for all Android’s users and partners.
But the smartphone market is super competitive, and to thrive it helps to be all-in when it comes to making mobile devices. It’s why we believe that Motorola will be better served by Lenovo — which has a rapidly growing smartphone business and is the largest (and fastest-growing) PC manufacturer in the world. This move will enable Google to devote our energy to driving innovation across the Android ecosystem, for the benefit of smartphone users everywhere. As a side note, this does not signal a larger shift for our other hardware efforts. The dynamics and maturity of the wearable and home markets, for example, are very different from that of the mobile industry. We’re excited by the opportunities to build amazing new products for users within these emerging ecosystems.
Lenovo has the expertise and track record to scale Motorola into a major player within the Android ecosystem. They have a lot of experience in hardware, and they have global reach. In addition, Lenovo intends to keep Motorola’s distinct brand identity — just as they did when they acquired ThinkPad from IBM in 2005. Google will retain the vast majority of Motorola’s patents, which we will continue to use to defend the entire Android ecosystem."
End Quote
Most of Google Plus exploded with articles, posts, comments, and even fights in CAPS LOCK because of their opinions. I will be explaining my thoughts and reasoning. Nothing more.
What does Samsung have to do with any of this? Earlier this week, Samsung and Google came to a deal that they would be in an agreement for the next 10 years with patents, meaning they'd share the patents with one another. To me, a great move for Google and Android to help stronghold against the raging powers of Apple and their lawyers. Soon after, Google released information stating that they met up with Samsung to discuss that Samsung needs to calm down their grip on Android. At CES 2014, Samsung unveiled new Galaxy tablets with a new Magazine UX version of Android. Google executives hated it so much because it was being compared to Flipboard and Windows 8. Touchwiz, the skin of Android on Samsung devices is (to me) a mess of themes, memory, and downright unattractive. It's no fun and takes up WAY too much memory. It's not good for Android, and it's not good for me.
Samsung also has a copy of every core Google app made just for Samsung devices. It's drawing SOME of the users, but most of all it's useless and a waste of space considering how much it lowers device performance ability.
How could Motorola just be sold off like that? Google bought Motorola Mobility not too long ago, 19 months, because Google usually buys underdog companies with great potential but not sales. (ex. Waze and Asus) They bought Motorola to help improve the Android ecosystem and also help a company in need. They were dubbed a 'Google Company' and indeed it was. Google also stated that Motorola would be ran separately from Android. While Google owned them, nothing really changed besides their logo. They released the Moto X and G and made a great sales, but it wasn't enough for Motorola to recover from their previous years. Google needed to help them, and since they can't directly interfere with sales, they found a more reasonable host for the great company of Mobility.
Samsung vs Motorola: A Google Theory:
Now Samsung and Motorola have come into play. Here's how this theory works okay. Just opinion and some knowledge from reports online.
Samsung, noticed that Moto and the Googs were becoming extremely close. Heck, the main idea was to try and merge with Moto. Samsung saw this interference as an attack because if Samsung lost Google to Moto, there would be no more Galaxy devices, unless they fell back onto Tizen 3.0 another mobile OS. The deal between Sammy and Google went sort of like.
Samsung: Hey Google, you're sure treating Motorola really well compared to us.
Google: Well, they stick to the Android look and they represent Android at it's finest.
Samsung: We want a closer partnership, let's share patents and give us love!
Google: Fine, ONLY if you make Touchwiz more like stock Android and get rid of all of the imitating apps for Samsung.
Samsung: Deal, only if you get rid of Motorola.
Google: Deal. Hey Lenovo, we'll sell you Motorola for $2.9 billion.
Lenovo: A piece of the Google pie? Deal!
And Samsung and Google lived happily ever after up until their 10 year agreement ends.
Whether or not this is true. I think it could be, and it's pretty darn scary because it shows how much these companies need each other, and their power struggle. They're both scared of losing each other too.
What happens to Motorola?
Lenovo is going to try and scale Motorola as a great hardware partner and bring them up to their full potential. They make great recognized PCs and Motorola is a very creative company with many ideas. Google is keeping the patents it gained from Motorola and their Advanced Technology Team who makes special products like "Project Ara". I'm sure Samsung is glad they're out of Google and now Samsung can continue to take a bigger piece of Android cake. I'm sure Lenovo and Motorola make a great team and I'm pretty sure they can make an amazing line of smartphones this year. It's all possible and it could even rival the combined powers of Apple and Samsung. It's not impossible.
Why is all of this so important to the mobile industry?
It's the acquisition of another company, come on that's got to be exciting. It also shows just how flexible and demanding the real world industry of technology is. It also shows what's going to happen in the future for the worlds most used operating system, Android. They need a solid ecosystem, something they don't currently have, and only these type of decisions can help. I don't care if it means Samsung with Google, Android needs a strong defense and I think putting Motorola out in the front ranks is a sure win. It now has a solid ground of patents to defend itself and Android can now focus more on the software to bring everything together.
Directly Quoted from The Droid Effect: "Motorola will be fine. Put down your pitchforks, take a drink or bath or whatever it is you do to relax; sit back kick your feet up and get ready for a nice ride. Chill out; Google has been making great decisions for quite a couple years now, I’m sure this won’t change. Remember Apple lost their leader and visionary, last I checked Google’s gang is all still here.
All in all, that was one heck of a rant for me. I'm all pooped. Today has been a very news filled day. I don't blog much, but I'll try to get on soon.
Comments, questions, concerns, typos, false info in my blog? Leave them below! Leave your opinion on all of this.
They lost over $10 billion dollars over it too. Investors seem happy on the news letting GOOG fly to $1,140. Which is why I don't understand Wall Street. Apple scored it's best quarter ever (and one of the best quarters in terms of profit in human history) yet Wall Street seems disappointed dumping AAPL $44 down to $505.