Google selling Motorola to Lenovo for $3 billion!?

[destrekor]

I really hope they don't kill off the maxx line...

Heh. Personally, I'd LOVE for them to kill off the Verizon-specific phones. I love Verizon (reception and customer service - not the price or heavy-handed approach), but think it is entirely in Motorola's best interests to focus on their main global platforms.
I think that may actually have been the case this last generation, as I reckon the Moto X was probably the lead development project. Considering the latest Droid's shared the same platform with the X, it's possible.

As long as any carrier-specific phones remain basically tweaked clones of their flagship (or of the budget model), I think that will help ensure their global products are worthy products.

Eventually, even before Lenovo's purchase came to news, I expect Moto to release a large-model phone (phablet) and a tablet as well. I can't wait to see what the new Motorola comes up with for a tablet that's not a Verizon-focused device. The Droid design just doesn't sit well with me anymore. It was great when it was new, and it's anti-iPhone approach was embodied so well in the design and helped launch the brand and OS to a larger audience. But now that we have so much very strong design in the market, and add in the fact that I love the smooth and seemingly perfect fit of the Moto X, seeing a Moto Tablet (Moto Maker even?) in this new era could be a huge success.

edit:
To be clear - I approve of them producing carrier-exclusive phones, so long as their focus is on the new global brands. Motorola has never had much in the way of unified, carrier-independent phones or otherwise a single global model. They haven't reached the globe just yet, only slowly expanding so they can support the growth. That said, it's sad Google is shedding them when I think they weren't long from seeing terrific growth in their investment. As long as they continue to do as they have been thus far, I think they'll see some great results. That said, they need to focus on their truly flagship devices, not on any "flagship for Verizon" devices. If they clone those global brands and make exclusive models, great, more money for them! But their best bet is looking elsewhere as well, and doing so first and foremost.

 

[cronos]

Heh. Personally, I'd LOVE for them to kill off the Verizon-specific phones.

This. 100%.

edit:
To be clear - unlike destrekor above, I don't approve of carrier-exclusive phones. Carriers should focus on their services and stay away from the phone business.

 

[destrekor]

This. 100%.

edit:
To be clear - unlike destrekor above, I don't approve of carrier-exclusive phones. Carriers should focus on their services and stay away from the phone business.

I can go either way on that issue. I typically have held that very same belief. That time may be coming soon, with so many manufacturer's now realizing the one global identity is far more lucrative than a billion other models. But at the same rate, the billion other models do still continue to sell as well. Might as well try to rake in what part of the market you might not otherwise get.

Which is to say, take advantage of that market while it's hear, because it's still here, though the market has clearly signaled they are indeed almost ready to move past this phase.

 

[deathBOB]

At least it's not HP or Dell. Frankly, the Motorola acquisition never made any sense to me.

 

[mrpiggy]

So how long until the 2500+ people at the Flextronix company in Texas making the MotoX get laid off?

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Guys, remember that Motorola was operating pretty much independently even under Google. They didn't give Moto early access to Android, so whatever they're cooking up now in terms of fast updates and great hardware is because of their team. Hopefully Lenovo learns from all that.

I'd argue this is a far better deal than if Samsung had purchased Moto. Can you just dread the green takeover of the clean AOSP interface already?

 

[SpongeBob]

Heh. Personally, I'd LOVE for them to kill off the Verizon-specific phones. I love Verizon (reception and customer service - not the price or heavy-handed approach), but think it is entirely in Motorola's best interests to focus on their main global platforms.

Sure I'd prefer a global Maxx rather than a verizon-specific as well, but I'm stuck with verizon regardless so it really doesn't matter to me in the end. I'm just really hoping there's a new maxx in the pipeline for later this year when I'm ready for a new handset.

 

[Dari]

Freaking Google. Not surprising, though, considering they have a history of killing off projects.

 

[PricklyPete]

I was considering the move to android with a new Motorola product in the next year... But I guess not.

 

[cronos]

Freaking Google. Not surprising, though, considering they have a history of killing off projects.

Are you trying to say that this time Google acted inconsistently with its history of killing projects, by selling it instead of killing it?

 

[Graze]

Considering how lenovo ruined Thinkpads, I don't have much faith in this deal...

How did they ruin the Thinkpad exactly? I have used several before and after the acquisition and there was nothing "ruined".

 

[blairharrington]

Considering Lenovo phones are not sold on-contract in America does this mean no more Motorola phones in the States?

 

[s44]

Considering Lenovo phones are not sold on-contract in America does this mean no more Motorola phones in the States?

No reason to think that. In fact the carrier relationships, supply channels, and brand recognition Moto has in the US were the largest part of its value to Lenovo.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Yeah, think of all the trouble Sony and Asus have breaking into America. Lenovo does that in one shot.

 

[s44]

Yeah, think of all the trouble Sony and Asus have breaking into America. Lenovo does that in one shot.

And on the flip side, I literally can't think of a better way for Moto to start selling the G in China...

 

[destrekor]

Guys, remember that Motorola was operating pretty much independently even under Google. They didn't give Moto early access to Android, so whatever they're cooking up now in terms of fast updates and great hardware is because of their team. Hopefully Lenovo learns from all that.

I'd argue this is a far better deal than if Samsung had purchased Moto. Can you just dread the green takeover of the clean AOSP interface already?

Absolutely any deal, short of simply closing down Motorola (perhaps even then?), is better than Motorola being bought out by Samsung.


Also, yes Motorola on it's own deserves the recognition for what they've achieved. The only part to consider is the CEO who was basically put in place by Google. It was a pro-Google relationship from the start, and it was likely pushed hard to at least demonstrate Android in the best light possible.

Hopefully Lenovo recognizes that the team should remain autonomous or get merely augmented.

Indeed, it was entirely Motorola to thank for patching being so fast. They received the same code at the same time as companies like Samsung, they just managed to turn it around rapidly.

I'm not too worried, at least, not for the next few years. It sounds like Lenovo even expects to not do much for three years. If they want to really change much and put their touch on new products, it will take at least two years, since that's usually the typical development cycle. So even if Lenovo plans to destroying everything we have recently come to love in Motorola, at least we will get a few more products and a few uninterrupted updates. I expect that much to remain fine... for now. I truly don't expect much negative to come to this, even five years down the road, but we'll see.

I'm more upset about yet another American company getting thrown to the Chinese wolves. That's one more reason why I was really rooting for Motorola - a home grown company with home-grown engineering talents and patents, a business that essentially developed this entire market thanks to their technology. Now, we're giving the reigns to a Chinese firm.

 

[Ravynmagi]

Guys, remember that Motorola was operating pretty much independently even under Google. They didn't give Moto early access to Android, so whatever they're cooking up now in terms of fast updates and great hardware is because of their team. Hopefully Lenovo learns from all that.

I'd argue this is a far better deal than if Samsung had purchased Moto. Can you just dread the green takeover of the clean AOSP interface already?

Motorola operated independently for a year or so. But the Moto G and Moto X are definitely Google products in my opinion. Lower priced, nearly stock experience, and quick updates. This didn't happen before Google owned them.

I don't know anything about Lenovo phones or what to expect of Lenovo. But if there are like everyone else they'll want to differentiate their phones with their own look, apps, and experience. And it's these modifications that cause updates to go from weeks to months.

Yeah, it's good Samsung didn't buy them. Samsung is already too big and sell mores phones that all other Android manufactures combined. Hopefully Lenovo will do good things with Moto.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

How did they ruin the Thinkpad exactly? I have used several before and after the acquisition and there was nothing "ruined".

Everything, build quality, focus going from buisness to consumer, taking out iconic thinkpad features like tactile mouse buttons.

 

[yh125d]

I'm a Lenovo fan, and have been a Moto fan since the first rebooted Razr a few years ago, a good phone that got overshadowed by the Galaxy Nexus. I now have and love the current Droid Maxx, which got overshadowed by the S4 and X. I choose to remain optimistic, that this will actually turn out fairly well. I also hope the "maxx" stays alive, although even if it doesn't at least the normal flagship phones are trending towards larger and larger batteries so not all would be lost.

I would also ditto that active display is one of the best features in phones in recent years. When I bought the Maxx I didn't think I'd care for it or the shake gesture to open the camera. I love and use both all the damn time now. The always on voice stuff never appealed to me though

 

[Dari]

Yeah, think of all the trouble Sony and Asus have breaking into America. Lenovo does that in one shot.

Breaking? Don't know about Asus but SONY has said many times before that their focus has been on Europe and Japan. It is only this year that they will focus on China and the United States.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Breaking? Don't know about Asus but SONY has said many times before that their focus has been on Europe and Japan. It is only this year that they will focus on China and the United States.

Selling subsidized devices on the big 2 is THE profit center in the mobile market.

 

[BladeVenom]

Google to keep Motorola's Advanced Technology group, including Project Ara modular phone I thought that was interesting.

 

[Dari]

Selling subsidized devices on the big 2 is THE profit center in the mobile market.

Ok...

 

[xSauronx]

Well hell, I wonder what this will mean for the Moto G and X?

without reading into the rest of the thread...so do i. i love my moto x. the last 2 phones i had were motorolas and they sucked. i was really happy to see good reviews for this phone and i love the thing. the only other option for a good phone appeared to be the S4, and it wasnt that appealing to me. i hope lenovo doesnt suck the life out of the moto x or future phones.

 

[bearxor]

I don't believe there will be significant enough changes to the company quickly enough to impact the lifespan of the moto X or g.