Just curious if you think the Google/Motorola deal will put pressure on Microsoft to actually buy Nokia instead of just controlling it.

http://investor.google.com/releases/2011/0815.html
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/...o-acquire.html

Google bought Motorola mainly i think for the Patents. its like right in Microsoft's and Apple's face now.. so many patents under google's belt now!..

Google is a business, and in business you come first.
There's no way Google will give out Motorola's patents to HTC or Samsung.

Google will continue selling Google phones as Motorolas and avoid the big disputes with Microsoft and Apple, whereas the rest will be mauled by lawsuits and loyalties to Apple, Microsoft, Nokia and Motorola.

The other thing could be Google also buys patents/loyalties off the other companies. Then Google sells Android to HTC, Samsung, Sony, LG, Dell, Acer, ASUS, etc to have the "with Google" endorsment.
And that endorsement offers Android, Google's proprietary applications, protection from lawsuits ... so basically all those royalties (~$10 a device) HTC sells would not go to Microsoft but it'll goto Google's pocket.
This second move gives Google a better public image, so it seems to be the more likely scenario.

No doubt patents are a big part of it, but the same could be said for a MS/Nokia deal.

No, my gut feeling is it's more about hardware and being able to dictate exactly what hardware runs basic Android OS on Google-branded phones, a-la Apple with the iPhone and iOS. And Google is not so stupid they haven't noticed the piles of money Apple is making on hardware sales.

IMO it's about patents. Google lacked them in mobile space, and in time the patent disputes would have strangled Android. Google did the wise thing and reacted before that could happen.

Wise decision.

A sad one at the same time too. I'd rather have seen Nokia ended up in Google's possession than in Microsoft's.

If this forces other makers away from android to W7 then Nokia has a great insurance policy in Meego.

Eh? Maybe it's cos I haven't finished my coffee, but this doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

If this does force HW manufacturers away from Android (why would Google want this? surely they'd want the opposite, with all the royalties/patent strangehold/ad views this would entail) then why would this cause Nokia to need an insurance policy? More WP7 takeup is good for the new Zombie Nokia, unless I'm missing something...

+1

On the patent side, there's another possibility. Instead of charging for the patents they own, Google could strengthen Android's market position even further by offering free usage rights to HTC,Samsung and others if they use Google-approved versions of vanilla Android. That way they can have some control of the (so called) "fragmentation problem" caused in part by Sense, Motoblur and similar overlays without making Android more closed than it already is. The carrot-and-stick approach. Use vanilla Android, we won't charge patent fees.

Next one is SE. Unless a miracle happens, SE will be gone soon. I believe in miracles

All i can think of is Microsoft buying another big company..be it Nokia or be it LG/SE.. just to get Wp7 share somewhere visible in the market now...this deal is a warning sign for them.