Podcasts Technology Acquired Episode 20: Android

Episode 20: Android

Published: Sept. 16, 2016, 1:10 p.m.

b'

Ben & David examine Google\\u2019s 2005 purchase of Android for a rumored $50M, undeniably one of the best technology acquisitions of all time. But will it top the list of these tough graders? Tune in to find out.\\xa0

Sponsors:
Vanta: https://bit.ly/acquiredvanta
Crusoe: https://bit.ly/acquiredcrusoe
Modern Treasury: https://bit.ly/acquiredmoderntreasury


\\xa0 \\xa0
Topics covered include:\\xa0
    \\n
  • Welcome new listeners! We quickly review the show format for newbies.\\xa0
    • \\n
  • Community spotlight: Patagonia on a Budget from community member Matt Morgante (@mattm on Slack)
    • \\n
  • \\nAndy Rubin\\u2019s career trajectory and what made him \\u201cborn to start Android"
    • \\n
  • The undeniable \\u201ccool factor\\u201d of the Danger Sidekick in the early/mid-2000\\u2019s, including fans such as \\xa0Larry Page, Sergey Brin and\\u2026 Turtle from Entourage\\xa0
    • \\n
  • Android\\u2019s original ambition to build an operating system for\\u2026 \\xa0digital cameras\\n
    • \\n
  • WebTV founder Steve Perlman is \\xa0pretty much the best friend ever\\xa0
    • \\n
  • Google\\u2019s own perspective on Android as their \\u201cbest deal ever"
    • \\n
  • The Android team\\u2019s reaction to Steve Jobs unveiling the iPhone in January 2007, and redesigning the initial launch hardware\\xa0
    • \\n
  • Announcing Android and\\u2014equally importantly\\u2014the Open Handset Alliance (\\u201cOHA\\u201d)
    • \\n
  • The much-talked-about "mobile holy wars", between Android\\u2019s \\u201copen\\u201d platform and Apple\\u2019s \\u201cclosed\\u201d platform\\xa0
    • \\n
  • The less-talked-about US carrier wars with the iPhone + AT&T in one camp, and everyone else in the Google / OHA camp (including \\u201cDroid Does\\u201d)
    • \\n
  • A quirk of history: HTC at one point acquires a majority share in Beats, resulting a short-lived period of \\xa0Beats-branded Android phones (still available on Amazon!)
    • \\n
  • The real battleground for Google in the mobile platform wars: the economics of \\u201cdefault search\\u201d (briefly known thanks to the \\xa0Oracle/Java lawsuit against Google)\\xa0
    • \\n
  • Google\\u2019s detour into smartphone hardware with the acquisition (and subsequent divestiture) of Motorola\\xa0
    • \\n
  • The \\u201cfork-ability\\u201d of Android via the Android Open Source Project (versus \\u201cGoogle Android\\u201d), and the rise of Xiaomi, Cyanogen, Kindle Fire and other platforms
    • \\n
  • The ecosystem economics of the Android business for Google\\xa0
    • \\n
  • \\u201cDefensive\\u201d versus \\u201coffensive\\u201d acquisitions, and protecting Google\\u2019s core search business\\xa0
    • \\n
  • Could (or would) Google have built an Android-like platform without acquiring Android the company (or having Andy Rubin)?
    • \\n
  • Framing the technology world\\u2019s shift to mobile within (surprise) Ben Thompson\\u2019s Aggregation Theory\\n
    • \\n
  • The current \\u201cmoving up the stack\\u201d of the competitive playing field as the mobile landscape matures\\xa0
    • \\n
  • Grading: Android versus Instagram?
    • \\n

\\xa0 Followups:\\xa0

\\xa0 Hot Takes:\\xa0

  • The iPhone 7 (and AirPods) announcement\\xa0

\\xa0 The Carve Out:\\xa0

'