Cat, meet pigeons: Google buys Motorola Mobility

In an unexpected move, Google has announced the purchase of Motorola Mobility - the smartphone and tablet manufacturing arm of Motorola - for around £7.6bn.

The move is likely to make other Android smartphone and tablet manufacturers a little jittery, to say the least. 

The like of Samsung, HTC, Sony Ericsson and Acer are all enjoying tremendous success with Google's operating system, which may be compromised with this arrangement.

Google has been quick to dismiss this though, as it would. Andy Rubin, senior VP of mobile at Google, said: "We expect that this combination will enable us to break new ground for the Android ecosystem. 

"However, our vision for Android is unchanged and Google remains firmly committed to Android as an open platform and a vibrant open source community. We will continue to work with all of our valued Android partners to develop and distribute innovative Android-powered devices."

One theory around the surprise move from Google is around smartphone patents. With Apple suing everyone and their wives over patent infringements and many other manufacturers following suit, it is common knowledge Google wanted to build up a portfolio - the acquisition of Motorola Mobility will certainly beef that up no end.

We'll leave the final word to wacky Google CEO Larry Page: “Motorola Mobility’s total commitment to Android has created a natural fit for our two companies. Together, we will create amazing user experiences that supercharge the entire Android ecosystem for the benefit of consumers, partners and developers. I look forward to welcoming Motorolans to our family of Googlers."