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Google to buy Motorola Mobility
- Thread starter lornaevo
- Start date
Actually Google failed to license Java from Sun at the time. They even admitted as much in a company email that Google tried to get thrown out as evidence the other week in court but the judge rejected the request.
SUroot
Extreme Android User
Remember Google was this close to spending 4billion on those Nortel patents before evil alliance Rockstar Bidco outbid them. Motorola's patent war chest adds to their defense of the whole Android ecosystem and can only benefit their OEMs. I'm not a lawyer but I'm hoping they can have those existing Apple vs [fill in the Android partner] lawsuits dismissed by providing prior art based on Motorola's existing IPs.
I also see this acquisition as Google expanding their horizons. Motorola apparently (and I didn't know this) has strong inroads with the cable industries in that they provide hardware for cable & set top boxes. Sounds like Google is gearing to make Google TV pay off in coming years.
_mw_
Android Enthusiast
Motorola will be run autonomously after the purchase so don't expect unlocked bootloaders any time soon. Google wanted the patents - more importantly they wanted to keep the patents away from Microsoft, who went so far as to explicitly state they had no desire for the production side of Motorola. Essentially they have built themselves a very lucrative force field, and probably saved Motorola's life at the same time.
AndroidSPCS
Android Expert
Actually Google didn't have to license Java because the CEO of Sun Microsystems, enthusiastically endorsed the use of Java in Android.
I think it should be noted as well that this same judge denied Oracle's request for Google to produce the email in the first place.
Yes he did with the caveat at the time that Google and Sun team to develop Android at the cost of $100MM at the time. That was rejected by Google and subsequently they "forgot" to license Java....
Bob Maxey
Android Expert
This deal blows my mind. In a good way.
I totally agree. Apple is the worst right now.
I have an iPad 2. I cannot use my Nook or Kindle app on my iPad 2 to buy eBooks in the app (stupendous), or to create a new user in the app.
Then there's the whole flash thing. Yea theoretically it was just mildy annoying. But it got to be really irritating over the weekend. I was out shopping with the family, wanted to look up Walmart's local ad to do some price look up, and thanks to "no Flash support" on my iPad 2, I could not view the local ad. I was really wishing I had a 3G Android tablet. Right now I only have a wifi ViewSonic G-tablet that I use at home.
Down with Apple!!!They really innovated the smartphone / tablet space, but now they are putting a stranglehold on it that makes me ill. I plan to acquire a 3G Android tablet to replace my iPad 2 this holiday season.
Apparently, the no in-app purchases is part of the Apple developer license agreement. I recall a public statement by Apple. So in a way, you were (once) able to buy eBooks from within the app only because some developer decided to violate an agreement.
Still unclear on this, so links will help me know if I can stop using the word 'apparently.'
Jobs mad a public statement about why no Flashy for iOS devices. It was rather compelling; I suggest you read it. Google "Steve Jobs statement, why no Flash."
By the way, I pick up a copy of the weekly specials from my mailbox and they are available in-store here in Utah.
I think it should be noted as well that this same judge denied Oracle's request for Google to produce the email in the first place.
Wrong, wrong, wrong... Not sure where your getting your facts from. The email was actually produced by Oracle after Google had to provide thousands of court ordered documents that pertained to the case.
SteveChiller
Member
I hope this means no more crappy Samsung nexus phones.....
My source? Here you go:
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
ORACLE AMERICA, INC.,FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
Plaintiff,
v.
GOOGLE INC.,
Defendant. No. C 10-03561 WHA
ORDER DENYING
PR
Tre Lawrence
Android Expert
So... anyone know offhand what major patents Google has control of with this acquisition?
Bob Maxey
Android Expert
Not sure, but there are quite a few. Odd thing about patents. There could be treasures and gems in amongst the "Power Patents." All it takes is a smart engineer to look at something and think of world beating ways it can be applied.
Also, corporations patent things all the time that never come to market.
A.Nonymous
Extreme Android User
Not entirely true. Apple has always taken a cut off in-app purchases. Nothing necessarily wrong with that as you are going through their system. Apps like the Kindle app spawned a browser window and took users to Amazon's mobile site to buy books. This bypassed the in-app system, but still let user's buy content from their devices. Several other apps had the same thing. Then Apple changed their policy and said that no app can link to an external source for content. Also, devs cannot charge more for content inside the app than outside the app. Most ebook apps (like Amazon) decided they didn't want to give Apple a 30% cut of their sales so they took out the linke to purchase content from their mobile site (per the new agreement) and they don't have in-app purchases either (b/c they don't want to turn over 30% and their customer list to Apple).
I've read it and I think it's bogus. Jobs has a long time grudge with Adobe. Like it or not, Flash is a web standard. To not support a widely established web standard is silly to say the least.
Bob Maxey
Android Expert
I knew it was something like that. That said, I think Jobs addressed this part of it and apparently, some developers were not following the rules. They also addressed that as I recall, and that tells me something was going on that was not allowed.
Complicated, and I do not develop Apple apps. As for Flash, you can believe it or not, it seems reasonable to me. The millions of people that use the iPad seem to have few issues with no Flash. I think Flash is over emphasized and it will soon become less important.
Found this:
11.2 Apps utilizing a system other than the In App Purchase API (IAP) to purchase content, functionality, or services in an app will be rejected
11.3 Apps using IAP to purchase physical goods or goods and services used outside of the application will be rejected
A.Nonymous
Extreme Android User
Yeah, those guidelines are new. Just went into effect in the past couple of months. You used to be able to link to external sites to purchase in app content. Amazon's Kindle app still exists because it has no link to any external site to buy content.
indybail
Well-Known Member
They bought more than patents, they can peddle hardware. It's patents plus a revenue stream from selling hand sets and Motorola sells a lot of handsets.
A.Nonymous
Extreme Android User
I don't think that was Google's primary reason for buying the company. They've expressed little interest in actually selling handsets in the past.
Nexus S is a good phone, some rather bad choices like lack of microsd slot and 720p recording but otherwise theres not allot wrong with it.
But whos responsible for this, Google? or Samsung?
Bob Maxey
Android Expert
I am embarrassed to say it, but I cannot find much about the sale. Google is buying Motorola Mobility and many are saying they are buying Motorola. As I understand it, Motorola Mobility is one division of the company.
So which is it . . . is Google buying the entire company, the Mobility division, or what? Lots of articles on the web but it is still not clear in my mind.
So which is it . . . is Google buying the entire company, the Mobility division, or what? Lots of articles on the web but it is still not clear in my mind.
They are buying Motorola Mobility.
http://www.googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/08/supercharging-android-google-to-acquire.html?m=1
roadkizzle
Member
Motorola Mobility is not officially owned by the parent "Motorola". They were spun off as a separate company as of early this year. This is similar to how Motorola's semiconductor division was spun off years ago into a separate company, Freescale.
Motorola Mobility completes spinoff from parent company - Computerworld