Earlier this morning, it became public that in July Google purchased Andriod, a company which makes mobile software for mobile phones. While there is little known about the company or the transaction, I have a couple quick thoughts and reactions:
• Between this acquisition and that of Ubiquity Labs, it is now obvious that Google has its sights directly set on the mobile platform as a next frontier. To me, it is clear this event is just another recognition of the fact that mobile phones are rising to become an integral personal media device (PMD) with functionality and uses far beyond just two-way conversation.
• This acquisition is just another in a chain of Google and Yahoo cherry-picking small pre-significant-funding startups. I, along with others, have wondered if there is new model for startups in the post-bubble era (see my earlier post). The counter argument, of course, is that News Corp is looking for acquisitions with very deep pockets – and a willingness to use them. The difference, it seems, is that while Yahoo and Google are buying innovation and engineering talent, Murdoch is potentially buying an empire. These two dissimilar strategies of Internet company acquirers are providing ripe exit strategies for startups regardless of size and stage.