Why Did Google Pay for Motorola to be Behind a 'Firewall'?

Google has all but acquired Motorola Mobility, having won Department of Justice and European Commission approval. Okay, so now what? Good question.

Google has, continually and vociferously, said that the acquisition of the Motorola division that makes cell phones and set-top TV boxes was not intended as a way for Google to make its own Android phones. In a conference call with investors and analysts the day of the acquisition announcement, Google CEO Larry Page emphasized that “many hardware partners have contributed to Android’s success,” and that Google “look(s) forward to dealing with all of them on an equal basis.” Android head Andy Rubin even said that Motorola would have to bid like any other manufacturer to work with Google on any upcoming Nexus phones, the models that Google partners with a hardware firm to load with short-term exclusives on new Android releases.