While Google’s acquistion of Motorola Mobility is huge news, it draws the bigger question as to what it means for the other brands that have championed Android as their platform of choice.
As it stands right now, Apple has got their own hardware and OS platform, as do the like of RIM (BlackBerry OS / QNX) and HP (WebOS). Nokia of course will also be partnered with Windows Phone OS early in the new year. If the Google Android tie up with a Motorola hardware offering is exclusive, then it may leave the likes of Samsung, LG and HTC out in the dark.
Samsung has Bada as a back-up OS but I’m not sure if they intended for this to ever replace Android. This may also mean we see more alliances or acquisitions as the likes of HP with WebOS is still struggling and may find partnering with Samsung or HTC is the way forward. RIM also has been under pressure and may find HTC, LG or Samsung as a possible partner in challenging the dominance of Apple and Google.
Microsoft may also react with a move of their own. They clearly don’t want to be left behind and what they do going forward could determine the future of the smartphone industry just as much as Google and Apple.
Of course at this stage, there is nothing official as Google hasn’t said much yet and this is all speculation but it’ll be one to watch for sure.
Posted By: Ashish Panjabi, Chief Operating Officer, Jacky’s Electronics
http://blogs.jackys.com/2011/08/what-happens-to-samsung-lg-htc-after.html
