Google to Acquire Motorola Mobility for $12.5 Billion

Google is buying one of the main manufacturers of phones running its Android OS

In a bid to "supercharge" the Android operating system, Google announced on Monday morning that it's acquiring Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion in cash. "This acquisition will not change our commitment to run Android as an open platform," Google CEO Larry Page wrote in a blog post. "Motorola will remain a licensee of Android and Android will remain open. We will run Motorola as a separate business."

In instant reactions, Business Insider's Joe Weisenthal called the move a "game changer," noting that Google now "competes directly with Apple as well as the various other handset makers who currently use Android." Techcrunch's Robin Wauters noted the passage in Page's post saying that it will "enable us to better protect Android from anti-competitive threats from Microsoft, Apple and other companies." ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley also wrote that "Google execs cited patents as a key reason it is seeking to purchase Motorola."

Full press release is below:

Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) and Motorola Mobility Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: MMI) today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Google will acquire Motorola Mobility for $40.00 per share in cash, or a total of about $12.5 billion, a premium of 63% to the closing price of Motorola Mobility shares on Friday, August 12, 2011. The transaction was unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies.

The acquisition of Motorola Mobility, a dedicated Android partner, will enable Google to supercharge the Android ecosystem and will enhance competition in mobile computing. Motorola Mobility will remain a licensee of Android and Android will remain open. Google will run Motorola Mobility as a separate business.

Larry Page, CEO of Google, said, “Motorola Mobility’s total commitment to Android has created a natural fit for our two companies. Together, we will create amazing user experiences that supercharge the entire Android ecosystem for the benefit of consumers, partners and developers. I look forward to welcoming Motorolans to our family of Googlers.”

Sanjay Jha, CEO of Motorola Mobility, said, “This transaction offers significant value for Motorola Mobility’s stockholders and provides compelling new opportunities for our employees, customers, and partners around the world. We have shared a productive partnership with Google to advance the Android platform, and now through this combination we will be able to do even more to innovate and deliver outstanding mobility solutions across our mobile devices and home businesses.”

Andy Rubin, Senior Vice President of Mobile at Google, said, “We expect that this combination will enable us to break new ground for the Android ecosystem. However, our vision for Android is unchanged and Google remains firmly committed to Android as an open platform and a vibrant open source community. We will continue to work with all of our valued Android partners to develop and distribute innovative Android-powered devices.”

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including the receipt of regulatory approvals in the US, the European Union and other jurisdictions, and the approval of Motorola Mobility’s stockholders. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2011 or early 2012.