It's official: Google done with Motorola, Lenovo taking over

Lenovo to buy Motorola Mobility from Google, reports claim
Google is reportedly ditching its Motorola division

Chinese PC manufacturer Lenovo has agreed to a deal with Google to acquire smartphone maker Motorola Mobility, it has now been confirmed.

Less than three years after paying $12.5 billion (around £7.5bn, AU$14bn) to acquire it, Google is parting with Motorola for a mere $2.91 billion (around £1.8bn, AU$3.5bn) in cash and stock.

The sale represents a stunning loss for Google, which has already recouped some of its outlay by selling Motorola Home to the Arris Group for $2.3 billion last year.

However, Google will retain the "vast majority of the Motorola patent portfolio," believed to total around 10,000 patents, which was thought to be a key reason the company bought Moto in the first place.

The sale does see Google acknowledge its expensive failure to turn around Moto's fortunes.

The 'Made in the USA' Moto X made headlines, but struggled commercially, and the low-cost Moto G impressed but had limited scope for profit.

Smartphone search

However, for Lenovo, the world's largest PC manufacturer, the deal represents the culmination of a long search to acquire a major smartphone company.

The company had previously expressed interest in BlackBerry, while a bid for HTC was also rumoured last year.

Following reports on Wednesday afternoon in the New York Times, Lenovo confirmed the acquisition to TechRadar in an official news release.

"The acquisition of such an iconic brand, innovative product portfolio and incredibly talented global team will immediately make Lenovo a strong global competitor in smartphones. We will immediately have the opportunity to become a strong global player in the fast-growing mobile space," said Yang Yuanqing, chairman and CEO of Lenovo, said in a media release.

Google CEO Larry Page said Lenovo has the expertise to turn Motorola into a major player within the Android ecosystem.

"Lenovo has the expertise and track record to scale Motorola Mobility into a major player within the Android ecosystem. This move will enable Google to devote our energy to driving innovation across the Android ecosystem, for the benefit of smartphone users everywhere," he said.

Chris Smith

A technology journalist, writer and videographer of many magazines and websites including T3, Gadget Magazine and TechRadar.com. He specializes in applications for smartphones, tablets and handheld devices, with bylines also at The Guardian, WIRED, Trusted Reviews and Wareable. Chris is also the podcast host for The Liverpool Way. As well as tech and football, Chris is a pop-punk fan and enjoys the art of wrasslin'.

Latest in Phones
Man using iMessage on an iPhone
Apple will finally enable encrypted RCS messages between iOS and Android, and it's about time
Android 16 logo on a phone
Android 16 Beta 3 has arrived – here are the 4 features I think will be the most useful
Apple iPhone 16e REVIEW
Some iPhone 16e owners are reporting Bluetooth audio issues that could be an iOS problem
An image of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra from a hands-on event
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra could resurrect an intriguing camera feature
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max REVIEW
The latest iPhone 17 Pro Max leak may have given us another look at its upcoming redesign
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 could be in line for a Galaxy S25 Ultra-level camera upgrade
Latest in News
Super Mario Odyssey
ChatGPT is the ultimate gaming tool - here's 4 ways you can use AI to help with your next playthrough
Brad Pitt looks over his right shoulder with 'F1' written behind him
Apple Original Films will take you behind-the-scenes of a racing cockpit in this new thrilling F1 movie trailer
AI writer
Coding AI tells developer to write it himself
Reacher looking down at another character from the Prime Video TV series Reacher
Reacher season 3 becomes Prime Video’s biggest returning show thanks to Hollywood’s biggest heavyweight
Finger Presses Orange Button Domain Name Registration on Black Keyboard Background. Closeup View
I visited the world’s first registered .com domain – and you won’t believe what it’s offering today
Image showing detail of the Leica D-Lux 8
Still can't get a Fujifilm X100VI? This premium Leica compact costs less, and it's in stock