What Google really got with the Motorola Mobility acquisition

My biz career really got started in the cell phone industry.  

I started as a sales rep in the mid-80's, at a Southwestern Bell Mobile Systems sales startup.  The services were spotty, mobile phones cost $3000 and weighed 20 pounds (seriously) and most folks installed them into their cars.  It was a crazy time in the mobile era, but everyone believed that it would be ubiquitous by the turn of the century. 

The best device makers were Okidata, Nokia Mobira and Motorola.  Moto's B2000 was the first carry in your hand cell phone, albeit a tennis shoe sized device.  They had innovation after innovation, most recently with the Razor and the Droid.  But, they also lagged, and were spun off as Mobility to either wither or make a comeback.  And make a comeback they did under the watchful eye of Sanjay Jha.  The brand re-established itself as the poor man's iPhone.  Just like Android. 

The Google acquisition makes perfect sense to me.  GOOG needs to get into manufacturing or other high volume type businesses to grow into their valuation.  They are not worth 200 billion via advertising or licensing alone, the market isn't even that big.  Most analysts talk about the 'trove of patents' that the acquisition brings Google, along with synergy for their Android investments. 

But, I have another theory.  Brin and Page love the backstory at Motorola, involving it's founder Paul Galvin.  He was the orignal "Achieve failure and celebrate braveness" entreprenuer, and his story was often shared with me by Tim Koogle (CEO of Yahoo at the time).  Baked deep into Motorola culture is this belief, "Don't fear failure."  That's going to resonate with the company's new owners, who've proven time and time again - they fear no evil.  

After just finishing my read of Levy's sharply written book about Google, In The Plex, I wondered which cell phone company they would buy.  Motorola made much more sense than the outdated Nokia or the clunky engineering of RIM.  Galvin was the secret saucet that would attract the Googlers in the end.  

Back in 2005, I spoke at a Nextel/Sprint conference, celebrating their new merger.  I share the Paul Gavin story in full, admonishing the combined group to grasp the founder's vision and move forward into the future with it.   Video clip: Tim Sanders tells the Paul Galvin story

 

Comments

[EmmaCay]

I can't wait to get my bell phone from Scotia plaza. As for Google they are very good at business. What ever deal they made it was in their best interest you can be sure of that. http://storelocator.bell.ca/bellca/en/ON/Toronto/Bell-Scotia-Plaza/BC752

[how to unlock motorola phone]

I like all information that you provide in your articles.

[business phone]

Google just loves to make profit. And this time they also proving it again by acquiring Motorola mobility. Most of the people like Motorola's stylish hand sets than Nokia's one. So, it makes sense why Google did this.I think they will be able to contribute a lot in business phone too.