If you cast your minds back to last year, you may remember Google’s well-documented purchase of Motorola Mobility for just over $12 billion; it was, after all, quite a big deal.
In a year in which software rival Microsoft also made a rather large telecommunications acquisition ($8.5 billion for Skype), the Big G reckoned the buy-out would supercharge its already-successful Android platform. With 700,000 daily activations over the festive period of last year alone, Android has grown to be come a focal point of the web company’s business.
As is the case with all major acquisitions, there is a lot of paperwork and approval needed before an agreed deal can be rubber-stamped, and despite the deal being struck in mid-August last year, only now is the go-ahead being given by the regulators. European Union overseers have just given Google the green light, but hold reservations on just how Larry Page’s company plans to utilize Motorola’s expansive patent portfolio. Commissioner Joaquin Almunia remains concerned that Google will misuse these patents, and according to Reuters, told reporters:
This merger decision should not and will not mean that we are not concerned by the possibility that, once Google is the owner of this portfolio, Google can abuse these patents, linking some patents with its Android devices . . This is our worry.
The deal needs to be approved by the Department of Justice, something which is anticipated to happen as early as this week. As per Reuters, the agreement also needs to be signed off by other countries, namely China, before Google can finally call Motorola its own. If all goes to plan, Google expects to close the deal in the next month or two. In a blog post, the search giant stated:
This is an important milestone in the approval process and it moves us closer to closing the deal, We are now just waiting for decisions from a few other jurisdictions before we can close this transaction.
Only last week, Google caused a little controversy by appointing one of Apple’s senior directors for work on a new "secret project". One of the ideas thrown up regarding the hush-hush enterprise was a new batch of Motorola-based Android devices, and with the acquisition now nearly cemented, we’d guess Google has huge plans to make good on its latest investment.
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