What the Google/Motorola Deal Means for TV

Google-Motorola is already sending shock waves through the TV and wireless industries, with opinions ranging from suggesting it could revolutionize the TV industry all the way to some rousing memories of AOL-Time Warner.

Neither outcome seems likely but there is little doubt that the deal -- if it passes regulatory scrutiny at a time when the Federal Trade Commission is already investigating Google -- would certainly realize Google's longstanding ambition of becoming a much bigger player in the TV industry. The acquisition also highlights the growing importance of web and mobile players in the TV industry, and in some sense might be considered the first big deal of the tablet revolution that is transforming the way viewers access and watch TV programming. As part of the deal, Google will acquire the set-top box and cable equipment operations of Motorola Mobility, one of two dominant suppliers of set-top boxes and equipment to the U.S. pay TV industry. Stephen Froehlich, senior analyst of consumer electronics at IMS Research, estimates in a report that as of the end of last year, "28% of digital pay-TV households in North America are on Motorola cable systems--i.e. used Motorola's Mediacipher conditional access system." At minimum, Google could use that market clout to strengthen its ties with major operators looking to deliver more content to more devices, including phones and tablets using the Android operating system.