Android uses some of Apple’s and Microsoft’s patents and one of the best ways to keep Apple and Microsoft from a patent witch-hunt was to acquire Motorola Mobility and its 17,000 patents.
This gives Google a lot of court arguments and among these 17,000 patents we are sure there are some that are being used or even violated by Apple or Microsoft as we speak. This leaves these three big companies in more or less an equal position, as for example if Apple sues Google for patents, they will probably respond with a countersuit that involves some other patents. The magic circle or Virtuous circle.
Companies like HTC, Samsung, LG and all other supporters of the “free” operating system, which is in fact completely controlled by Google will be shielded by Google.
Google’s partners in crime and Android supporters do have an issue with usually to slow adoption of future OS releases, while Apple gets its new iOS for all iPhones at once. Some promising phones such as Optimus 2X still have to get an official Android 2.3.4 update, more than six months after the introduction of this new OS. The same applied for the original Samsung Galaxy S, which wasn't updated in months. You can imagine when these phones are going to get Ice Cream Sandwich, something that Google’s next generation nexus should get at launch in first day of January 2012. The upgrade path is way to slow.
This is all the first phase of this 12 billion dollar worth acquisition as we strongly believe that sooner or later, Google will start making its own hardware, with the help of many ex-Motorola Mobility man and women. This year’s Nexus might be indeed made by Samsung, but next year, we expect a Motorola talent based Nexus and we would not be surprised to see some tablets.
Q4 2011 will be an interesting time, with Nvidia’s quad core tablet chip debut, possible Amazon tablet with really affordable price showing up, as well as first steps of Ultrabooks. Let’s not forget 4.5-inch phones from HTC and Samsung that are already crossing to tablet screen size territory.
It won’t be boring to look at the Android vs. iOS fight, and Microsoft heavily limping behind them.