Android smartphones will be supercharged by Motorola purchase, says Google's Larry Page
(CBS/CNET) - Google has agreed to buy Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion, the search giant announced Monday, giving Google, developer of the Android mobile operating system, a direct hand in hardware manufacture for the OS. The deal will, says Google Chief Executive Larry Page, "supercharge" Android.
"The combination of Google and Motorola will not only supercharge Android," Page said in a blog post, "but will also enhance competition and offer consumers accelerating innovation, greater choice, and wonderful user experiences."
Google, as a manufacturer of smartphone hardware, will now be in competition with its Android customers.
Page, apparently to allay fears related to this, in his blog post that Motorola will be run as a separate unit of the company. Page also said that Android will remain an "open platform."
"This acquisition will not change our commitment to run Android as an open platform. Motorola will remain a licensee of Android and Android will remain open. We will run Motorola as a separate business. Many hardware partners have contributed to Android's success and we look forward to continuing to work with all of them to deliver outstanding user experiences."