I’d been meaning to write about Android’s woes and mis-affairs for sometime now. But while my own affairs kept me at bay from writing, something nice happened last week. Google Inc. acquired Motorola Mobility. This was huge ! Google was acquiring Android’s second largest OEM. This garnered unprecedented coverage -- both positive and that of skepticism. While there are possibly different angles to this deal, CEO Larry Page explains the official one on google blog.
Google SVP and Chief Legal Officer Drummond had, in an earlier posting, called names on those who were attacking Android through this fragile, misleading things that Software Patents are. And it was actually good to see CEO Page, reiterating those words. Page, in his quarter long, short second tenure, has given glimpses of being a maverick war-time CEO. Since the time Google lost out on the Nortel auction, Android was in deep waters -- with charges of patent infringement from sneaky MS/Apple and a rather legitimate one from Oracle. It was a sad day in tech history, when in the later 90s, Software Patents were made legal. This started what we have come to witness today in the forms of Patent trolls. And its almost pathetic to see MS and Apple joining that group today. Anyhow, it was clear that Google needed to strengthen their patent portfolio if they wanted to keep Android a free distribution and not succumb to the licensing fee MS was so cunningly targeting its OEM partners at.
And no doubt Moto Mobility’s vast chunk of patents (some of them as basic as on cell phone itself !) was the reason primary Google made this ‘at a premium’ deal. And ofcourse, this also means Google can roll out pure Android devices now, with no adulteration from OEMs/Carriers. While this deal means a lot of things -- Google now become the 2nd biggest Android OEM, they almost double their headcount, a complete in sync HW/SW integration can be carried out among others. But amongst all these Google needs to carefully tread this path, lest upset their other OEMs partners in HTC and Samsung, who have embraced the Android ecosystem. They need to be particularly careful while deciding on who showcases the next Nexus -- the flagship Android device.
While Moto Mobility deal brings a sigh of relief, the threat from the Evil Alliance is far from over. But Google I’m sure have their eyes set on their next ‘to do’ item -- clinch the InterDigital deal. Google also have a lawsuit from Oracle on infringement of some Java Patents. And it looks likely that Google might settle on Oracle’s lawsuit eventually. This was another mistake from Google -- they should have made a licensing arrangement with Sun while it was still possible.
Consumers need choice and affordability when it comes to owning a smartfone. Developers need an ecosystem that allows them to develop their application on a machine that doesnot necessarily have to be a MAC. And this world needs to break the shackles of an arrogant monopolistic company that Apple has come to be ! And for all these reasons, if for no other (read the death of WebOS), Android needs to be protected -- Mobile Ecosystem itself needs to be protected.
Users are welcome to give their opinions in the comments section. I can be reached at vikashbitmesra@gmail.com. My Twitter feed : _Vikash.
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