COMMENTARY | The news that Google is purchasing Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion could be just the move Google needs to push its Android operating system over the top. The purchase proves the folks at Google are more than serious about pursuing revenue outside of the Internet. Of course, now the search engine-driven giant will be able to push tablets and phones running the Android platform even harder.
The tablet PC market is a jumbled glut of products. While Apple and the iPad continue to dominate, Android powered devices have gained ground. The most recent reports state that Android devices managed to grab 20 percent of the global market share from Apple as far as tablets are concerned, which is impressive. When it comes to smartphones Android has almost 44 percent of the market share. Apparently, if a company sends enough gadgets to market, some sort of success is possible.
Should Google forge ahead with the success of the Android platform they need something that has so far escaped the popular operating system: a marquee product. Sure, a lot of cool devices run a version of Android, and to simplify the development process and the customer process, Google is getting ready to release Ice Cream Sandwich, which is a version of Android that will run on phones and tablets. But unlike Apple with the iPhone and iPad, no device is really synonymous with Android. Perhaps the billion dollar acquisition is part of that strategy.
If Google plans on making their own devices, it would definitely give the company and edge that it has been lacking. Plus, the company also has the cash and advertising resources to get information into the hands of consumers. Surely a major Internet company does not spend almost $13 billion without a long-term plan. In any event, they can simply follow the path that Apple has forged.
The expansion of Google could be a good thing for technology companies and technology in general, but it could also open a door that will be difficult to close. Google carries a lot of weight, and where the company decides to place that emphasis could sway the power of other areas beyond simple Internet searches.
Intellectual property, such as patents, was probably the driving force in Google's acquisition of Motorola Mobility. Whether or not Google uses the company to enhance their market position and continue to play nice with all the companies that license the Android operating system is something every fan will be keeping an eye on.
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