Almunia's team has not ruled out an independent investigation into Google's behavior in Europe, where it will decide whether to launch a full-fledged antitrust investigation into its advertising and search practices. A decision is expected in March. On the same day, Jabra spoke thoughtfully, saying that he was considering suing other Android phone brands for infringing Motorola's patent portfolio publicly and proposed the possibility of cooperating with Microsoft instead of Google, adopting new Windows Phone software and dropping Android. The EU also issued a similar warning. After extending the review of the proposed merger between the two companies in August, they shook hands, and the FTC announced on Monday evening that it had decided the deal would not affect the supply of Android software to other handset manufacturers. However, EU Competition Commissioner Almunia warned that "the Commission will continue to closely monitor all market players in this sector, particularly the increasing use of patent strategies." Motorola filed a bid 33% higher than the last one in July after Larry Page, Google's CEO, contacted Motorola Mobility and lost out on a series of patents from the bankruptcy auction of Canadian telecommunications company Nortel Networks. It had abandoned bidding against Intel Corporation, Google, Apple teams, Microsoft, and RIM, the Blackberry manufacturer, who reached a $4.5 billion bid - but its Motorola bid would far exceed that. A week later, Google said it considered purchasing the company at a "price high $20 or low $30s." On August 1st, Google made its first official bid at $30 per share - valuing MMI at $9.4 billion. In approving the acquisition, Almunia added that the decision "does not mean blessing all past or future actions by Motorola or Google," and any action on "[the] issue, whether by Motorola or Google, if found to be in compliance with EU antitrust laws" would be taken separately. Google stated that it was acquiring the Human-Machine Interface (HMI) because its existing 17,000 and pending 7,500 patents cover a wide range of wireless and mobile areas, as well as other fields. This acquisition would allow Google to provide patent protection to device manufacturers using its Android phone operating system, which are facing legal attacks from companies like Apple and Microsoft. Apple is seeking to expand its case in Germany, where it is fighting Motorola's attempt to impose a ban on the sale and use of its iPhone 4S and iCloud web storage and synchronization services. If Apple can show that HMI abused FRAND patents in this case, Joaquin Almunia, the EU Competition Commissioner, warned in a speech last Friday about paying attention to "standard-essential patent owners being granted power in the market that they cannot be allowed to abuse." China must do the same before the merger can be completed. MMI was spun off from Motorola in January 2011 but has struggled financially ever since, recording net losses each quarter, losing funding and market share in its mobile phone business. Although it generates around $3.4 billion in revenue per quarter, which is small compared to Google's expected $10 billion in the fourth quarter, it is expected to bring tax benefits, meaning it would have no net effect on profitability. The trick it pulled: By the end of the day, Google had raised its offer to $40 per share - enough to satisfy Jabra and the MMI board. They squeezed Google into issuing $12.5 billion; Icahn's stake had risen from $750 million when Google first approached MMI to $1.34 billion upon completion of the deal. Icahn owes Jabra a big favor - if, as some predict, the CEO pushes Arora aside when the merger is complete, Icahn might be in a position to repay him. Apple's lawsuit last week in the U.S. could cause an explosion, claiming MMI is abusing its ownership of essential patents used in phones after writing to Apple and chipmaker Qualcomm in January. In the letter, HMI revoked Apple's ability to use two patents embedded in Qualcomm chips used in iPhones. This specific revocation generally would not be allowed under "essential" patent licensing terms: if Motorola is found to have violated "FRAND rules" surrounding its patent licensing (fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory), it may face sanctions from standard-setting institutions and damages from Apple. According to the acquisition agreement filed with the SEC by Motorola, Google indicated it would be interested in purchasing the company - two weeks later, on July 20th, the famous "corporate raider" Carl Icahn, then holding approximately 11% of the company, said Sanjay Jha, MMI's CEO, that the company "should explore alternatives for the MMI patent portfolio." In other words, Icahn said: sell. (Icahn revealed this suggestion on that day in a filing.) Microsoft has already forced almost all Android phone manufacturers, including Samsung and HTC, which account for 50% of Android phones, to sign patent ownership agreements, claiming royalty payments per phone. Such deals cover 70% of Android phones sold in the U.S. - it is alleged that Chinese manufacturers like Huawei and other Android phone makers fall behind. Microsoft is also locked in a patent war with MMI. Google acquired MMI's portfolio of 17,000 existing and 7,500 pending patents. Photo: Robert Galbraith/Reuters. The European Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice have approved Google's $12.5 billion (10.4bn) acquisition of Motorola Mobility (MMI), a U.S.-based cellphone and set-top box maker - a move that opens a potentially explosive new chapter in the smartphone patent wars. The approval came amid a standoff between Google and Apple, with Motorola, a subsidiary trying to squeeze the iPhone maker into paying royalties to a chip supplier, Qualcomm, which says it has been authorized to license the patents. Google has repeatedly stated it will run the MMI business at arm's length, which will not favor it over other handset manufacturers using Android software. But analysts doubt that it will increasingly seek its affiliate to showcase new versions of Android phones as it attempts to enforce stricter adherence to the rapidly growing use of the software. However, in one clear shot across Google's bow, the U.S. Department of Justice said in accompanying its approval that while Apple and Microsoft have made explicit commitments regarding "standard essential patents" (SEPs) used in smartphones, "Google's commitment statement is more ambiguous and does not provide the same direct confirmation of its SEP licensing policy." For this reason, the DOJ will continue to monitor the market and "will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action to stop any anti-competitive use of SEP rights." But Jabra held firm, with Google's chief negotiator Nikesh Arora - who is now the go-between from Jabra in the merged company - requesting on August 7th that he provide a bid of $37. Almunia can fine companies up to 10% of their global turnover for abuses - which, post-merger, would reach billions. Google's largest fine was $500 million, levied by the U.S. government last August for its role in illegally selling prescription drugs from Canadian websites to the U.S. Related thematic articles: To get the best free website promotion path, complete online marketing for your site, creative website promotion - English and French online marketing, complete online marketing for your site, hacker article Symantec source code ransom failed after.