There’s an excellent possibility that Google’s bid for Motorola will be sanctioned by the U.S. Department of Justice, perhaps before the end of next week.
Despite the jubilation that will likely be rampant inside Google upon this successful clearing of a major hurdle, more hurdles remain, as additional U.S. and European regulators are yet to weigh in.
The $12.5 billion deal is deemed to be vital to Google’s role in the so-called “patent wars” transpiring across the digital landscape today. The acquisition will also allow Google to enter into new market segments, a key ambition for the company’s broadening portfolio.
Antitrust enforcers in the U.S. and Europe remain concerned about Google’s commitment to license Motorola patents to competitors on fair terms, those people said, and will closely monitor Google’s use of the patents. The European Commission has set a Monday deadline to decide whether to approve the acquisition.
Part of the reason Google is expected to face no significant or lasting opposition in moving forward is because the Internet search giant pledges to maintain and operate Motorola as a standalone company.
