Google Acquires Motorola Mobility For $12.5 Billion

Sites include Google.com . Published on June 7th, 2012. Written by Anthony West.

Google recently started harassing Microsoft over patents connected to its Xbox 360 platform and now we can see why the aggressive approach was taking legally. It seems the long awaited regulatory approval for the sale of Motorola Mobility to Google for $12.5 billion has just been approved by Chinese Ministry of Commerce.

The planned purchase was executed in part months ago and many felt that Google would have no trouble getting approval. That approval has given Google lots of leverage as the deal comes with patents that it is now using to pressure other companies (like Microsoft) to pay up for face the consequences.

But aside from patents the acquisition gives Google something perhaps even more powerful—the power now to make its own handsets. The search giant owns Android but hitherto was not able to make its own handsets, preferring to partner with the likes of HTC and Samsung. With the underlying technology inherent with Motorola Mobility, many see the manufacture of proprietary Google handsets an inevitability.

Apple will no doubt be watching developments because $12.5 billion worth of technology added to what Google already has is bound to become something formidable. The likes of Microsoft will be ruing its missed opportunity to acquire Motorola Mobility too; now it will have to contend with patent lawsuits galore.