Takes a cash loss, but retains portions. http://www.bit-tech.net/news/hardware/2014/01/30/google-motorola-lenovo/1
Has not sold its smartphone side of the business, So not sure how its propping up a potential chinese apple competitor since 60% of apples revenue is the Iphone.
Err... That's exactly what it *has* sold. That's all Motorola Mobility *makes*, since it stopped tablets and Google sold the set-top box and cable modem bits. The purchase, in point of fact, leapfrogs Lenovo into becoming the third-largest smartphone maker in the world, behind Samsung and Apple.
Then its lost $8bil on some wonky arangement to challange samsung the leading competitor in china and apple who are not really competing for the same section of the phone market. ( when apple releases a truly budget phone will never ever happen Ill change those words)
I'm sorry, but I have no idea what you're trying to say here. Read the article, come back, and attempt to write down your opinion in a clear manner, 'cos at the moment I have no idea what point you're trying to make.
I think he's getting at Google have lost out in the long run as Apple cater to the high end of the phone market, while making the assumption that any handset that Lenovo make will be in the low end of the smartphone market, and thus will be taking sales from samsung. That is forgetting google's point if view; any phone sale that isn't apple is a win. And also forgetting that Lenovo can also do high end products and there is no indication which way they plan to tackle their home market. Also Google have retained many patents, but without knowing specifically what those patents are, there is no saying how they are being used, or how they plan to use them. That's where the upshot for Google is.
As per above, this transaction through all its phases was about ip. Google have retained the ip they were interested and dumped the leftovers on Lenovo, which by virtue of the fact that they are paying money for them will be self serving.