The tech world was shaken up last week with the announcement of Steve Jobs’ resignation as CEO of Apple, Inc.
Former COO Tim Cook replaced Jobs as the new company CEO with big shoes to fill.
With the debut of the iPhone 5 and iPad 3 around the corner, all eyes are on the iJuggernaut, as well as Cook.
Usually, when a company acquires a new CEO, changes are right around the corner — almost to prove him or herself worthy of the new title.
However, Cook claims “Apple is not going to change” under his leadership.
For Apple fans, that’s fantastic news. As the old saying goes, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
While Apple will continue to rake in the dough with the release of new products by years’ end, there’s still the 800-pound gorilla in the room — the company’s main competitor, Google.
Google’s mobile operating system Android has made leaps and bounds in its four years of existence toward cracking the dominance of Apple’s iOS.
It’s a constant battle among those in the tech community— Google’s open and more customized Android vs. Apple’s clean and easy to use iOS.
It’s a fight I’m sure will continue for years to come.
With the shift in power at Apple, now would be the perfect time for Google to make a big move.
Fortunately for the search giant, Google already made a move — even before Jobs’ resignation.
Earlier this month, Google acquired Motorola for — in your best Dr. Evil impression — $12.5 billion dollars.
The acquisition means big things for Google and its Android operating system.
After Motorola’s success with its RAZR handset in 2004, the company sort of dropped off the mobile radar.
Sure, they made other variations of the RAZR, but none of them really caught on.
The company got back into the spotlight, however, in 2009 with the release of the Motorola Droid.
Although Android had been present for a little more than two years at that point, the Droid was the first highly advertised Android phone on the market, specifically geared to bring down the iPhone.
Motorola made many other Android handsets for Google during the past two years and will obviously continue to do so.
“This acquisition will not change our commitment to run Android as an open platform,” Google CEO Larry Page wrote on the company’s blog. “We will run Motorola as a separate business.”
While Motorola has been a big supporter of Android for the past few years, it isn’t the only company producing Android-powered phones.
HTC, LG, Sony Ericsson, Lenovo, Acer and Samsung also make devices running Google’s mobile OS. Could this acquisition lead to some hostility towards Google from these companies?
So far, it doesn’t seem likely.
“We welcome the news of today’s acquisition, which demonstrates that Google is deeply committed to defending Android, its partners and the entire ecosystem,” HTC CEO Peter Chou said about the merger.
Bert Nordberg, president and CEO of Sony Ericsson, said, “I welcome Google’s commitment to defending Android and its partners.”
Many of the other aforementioned company’s CEOs and press officials said similar things.
Google’s acquisition is not only good for the mobile phone market, but also could help make a big push in the tablet market, as well.
While many Android tablets have been released since the launch of the original iPad, most of them have, well, sucked.
One of the best — and, again, most advertised — Android- powered tablets recently released was the Motorola Xoom.
While technically more powerful and boasting better features than the iPad,the Xoom or any other tablet hasn’t been able to come close to Apple’s monstrous sales.
It’s obvious Google has thrown its money behind Motorola in the past with its Android-powered phones and tablets. Now the two companies are one.
Whether it’s enough to bring down Apple and its new leader Tim Cook is hard to say right now.
Big changes are coming. No matter what side you choose, we’re going to be in for a wild ride.