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Google's massive $12.5 billion acquisition of Motorola Mobility excited Google's growing channel Monday, with solution providers and Google resellers hopeful that the purchase will open more doors to the mobile world and eventually give them the ability to sell more devices.
With the Motorola Mobility buy, Google adds the important mobile hardware component -- smartphones and tablets -- to the success it's found with Google Android, the open source mobile operating system the search giant launched in 2007. Google was quick to quell concerns from other Android partners and licensees, and said that Google Android will remain open despite Google buying Motorola Mobility.
And while many Google partners said the Motorola Mobility pickup likely won't have an immediate impact on their businesses, it could soon pave the way for Google's cloud providers and partners to beed up their presence in the mobile market.
Tony Safoian, CEO of North Hollywood solution provider SADA Systems, said Google's channel could be a big winner once the merger goes through. The buyout is expected to close in late 2011 or early 2012.
"In this space, the carriers still exude tremendous control -- however, I would love to see the day when partners like SADA will have the ability to sell mobile devices into organizations making the switch to Google," he said.
Motorola's mobile arm struggled in recent years until Motorola split into two divisions -- Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions -- and its mobility business pledged its allegiance to Google Android. Acquiring one of the largest Android partners and licensees gives Google the ability to attack on both the mobile hardware and software fronts to create a dominant mobile strategy.
"Motorola is a natural fit as they were a very early Android platform supporter, and of course [Motorola Mobility] was also one of the early reference customers for Google Apps," Safoian added.
Google scooping up Motorola Mobility also could foster a stronger marriage between Google's cloud and mobile plays with a tighter cohesion between Google Apps and Google Android at the device level.
"We have now the ability to hopefully see a more unified platform," said Thomas Paquet, a senior consultant with G-Apps Masters, a Las Vegas-based Google reseller. Paquet said tighter integration between Google Apps and Google Android would create a stronger mobile experience.
NEXT: Motorola Mobility Merger Gives Google Competitive, Patent Edge
