Could Google Buy Palm?

google-buying-palmFormer Apple employee Phil Kearney – who worked on the AirPort Extreme, AirPort Express and Time Capsule at Google – just wrote an article on Gizmodo about the potential of Google buying Palm. The underlying motive? Acquisition of patents:

So what could motivate Apple to want to sue HTC? I’m in agreement with those who theorize that Apple’s HTC suit is to warn hardware manufacturers against using Android in their new product offerings. But in thinking about this issue, the one way I see that Google might be able to combat such a move would be to acquire some good patents of their own. In perusing some of the articles on the web about the Apple/HTC battle, a couple of them referred to older articles that talk about Palm and the possible patent battles between Palm and Apple. It is interesting that an Apple/Palm patent battle has not materialized thus far and, combined with Palm’s recent announcement about cutting guidance, it got me thinking: Why doesn’t Google just buy Palm, it’s a no-brainer?

Do you think Google might try to buy Palm? Will another company like Motorola, Nokia or Dell beat them to it? It’s all just speculation but interesting nonetheless. When the Palm Pre was announced it seemed Palm had immediately turned the company around… now its feeling like they’re right back where they started.

By the way… this is NOT just an out of the blue speculation. In April 2009 Google was rumored to be acquiring Palm and even hired someone to supposedly “oversee” the purchase. Rumors: will they become something more solid?

^ Early April 1st self-pwn

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