Just a few days ago we knew the news, Google has bought HTC’s mobile division for $ 1.1 billion. An operation in which the American giant takes more than 2,000 engineers and all the patents of the Taiwanese manufacturer. But what does this movement really mean? How does it affect other mobile manufacturers?
Why HTC did this?
Recall that this is not the first time that Google makes a move of this type. In 2011, the big G firm bought Motorola’s mobile division, in an operation that closed with the payment of 12,500 million dollars. Thus, Google acquired Motorola Mobility and its more than 20,000 patents focused on the mobile technology.
After refloating the Moto brand, especially with the release of the MotoG model, which was a great success, Google decided to sell Motorola Mobility to Lenovo, the current owner.
As we see, Google already has experience in this type of business and uses them mainly to grow in its particular “war” against Apple. This acquisition is a step forward in the company’s intention to become a mobile manufacturer for all purposes, and not just devote to developing the Android operating system.
All agree thatApple takes advantage by developing internally both the software and the hardware of their iPhone, without having to resort to other manufacturers in the process. This allows them to fine-tune a product 100% controlled by them.
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Also, do not forget that Google launches to the market a smartphone “own” every year (the old Nexus, now renamed Pixel), in which its engineers the thinking heads but it finishes manufacturing the third one. Precisely was HTC in charge of manufacturing the Google Pixel and Pixel XL models last year.
If Google eventually becomes a phone manufacturer to use, their alliances in the market may suffer. The most important of all, the one with Samsung. It may be affected by this move, as Samsung could see Google as a rival and not as an ally. In any case, a new era begins for Google. One in which you can compete with you to you with the company of Tim Cook.