Episode 20: Android

Ben & David examine Google’s 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.

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Topics covered include: • Welcome new listeners! We quickly review the show format for newbies. • Community spotlight: Patagonia on a Budget • from community member Matt Morgante (@mattm on Slack) Andy Rubin’s career trajectory • and what made him “born to start Android" • The undeniable “cool factor” of the Danger Sidekick in the early/mid-2000’s, including fans such as Larry Page, Sergey Brin • and… Turtle from Entourage • • Android’s original ambition to build an operating system for… digital cameras • WebTV founder Steve Perlman is pretty much the best friend ever • • Google’s own perspective on Android as their “ best deal ever • " • The Android team’s reaction • to Steve Jobs unveiling the iPhone in January 2007, and redesigning the initial launch hardware • Announcing Android and—equally importantly—the Open Handset Alliance (“OHA”) • The much-talked-about "mobile holy wars", between Android’s “open” platform and Apple’s “closed” platform • The less-talked-about US carrier wars with the iPhone + AT&T in one camp, and everyone else in the Google / OHA camp (including “ Droid Does • ”) • A quirk of history: HTC at one point acquires a majority share in Beats, resulting a short-lived period of Beats-branded Android phones • ( still available on Amazon • !) • The real battleground for Google in the mobile platform wars: the economics of “default search” (briefly known thanks to the Oracle/Java lawsuit against Google • ) • Google’s detour into smartphone hardware with the acquisition (and subsequent divestiture) of Motorola • The “fork-ability” of Android via the Android Open Source Project (versus “Google Android”), and the rise of Xiaomi, Cyanogen, Kindle Fire and other platforms • The ecosystem economics of the Android business for Google • “Defensive” versus “offensive” acquisitions, and protecting Google’s core search business • Could (or would) Google have built an Android-like platform without acquiring Android the company (or having Andy Rubin)? • Framing the technology world’s shift to mobile within (surprise) Ben Thompson’s Aggregation Theory • The current “moving up the stack” of the competitive playing field as the mobile landscape matures • Grading: Android versus Instagram?

Followups:

Waze launches Carpool • in the Bay Area. Much consternation ensues on the Uber board • .

Hot Takes:

• The iPhone 7 (and AirPods) announcement

The Carve Out:

• Ben: Business Adventures • by John Brooks, Bill Gates’ favorite business book • David: Ezra Edelman's fantastic 5-part ESPN documentary on O.J. Simpson, O.J.: Made in America • None this week… coverage of Instagram Stories • to come next time!

Release date

Lydbog: 16. september 2016