Samsung, HTC and other Android makers are between a rock and a hard place due to Google’s acquisition of Motorola Mobility. Hopefully regulators will step it up but Motorola is likely to get hold of Android builds and Google services. It appears that Google will allow Motorola to build the chief Android phones and tablets going forward.
Nokia has already become a partner with Microsoft after a billion US Dollars were paid to secure the deal. Microsoft has its eyes set on an agreement with Nokia for its Windows Phone but it is not likely that they will give any other company a similar deal as the one they established with Nokia.
HP is taking a different route and purchased Palm back in April 2010 for $1.2 billion. The WebOS was described as a key asset and motivation for the purchase. Palm never got anywhere against Apple and additionally WebOS has not achieved much under HP. It took HP a year to lease its first Palm-branded phones. Now it has a minimal market share and is basically of little relevance. The only method of survival that it has is if HP licenses it to big handset makers whose only choices are Google-Motorola or Microsoft-Nokia.
HP has attempted to give WebOS new life by putting it alongside Windows on new PCs. Despite the lack of success, HP is going to be shipping Windows 8 on new PCs.
