Oracle completed its cross-examination of Google CEO Larry Page today in the copyright phase of the trial between the two Silicon Valley giants, and Page was quite candid about Android’s importance to Google as a whole. When asked if he believed Android was a critical asset to Google around 2010, Page said: “I believe Android was very important for Google. I wouldn’t say it was critical.”
When asked whether Google’s board of directors was told that Android was critical to Google, Page stated that he wouldn’t be surprised if that was the case, but that he wasn’t sure he’d go that far. He elaborated that Android was a means to get pre-existing Google services to mobile users. “We’d been frustrated getting our technology out to people,” said Page.
I don’t think this should be any real surprise. Android exists so people use Google’s services — that’s it. This goes a long way toward understanding why Google doesn’t seem to care that much about issues like fragmentation and under-whelming devices.
The iTunes Store was invented, on the other hand, for Apple to sell music for people to fill up their iPods with. iCloud is a free service because Apple wants people to spend money on apps, music and iPads.