Eric Schmidt Swears Google Won’t ‘Screw Up’ Android

Everybody freaked out when Google bought Motorola Mobility for $US12.5 billion, because they thought that was the end of Android’s openness, and Motorola would get the love of the favourite child. Google’s Chairman just put the official kibosh on that.

In an interview with Bloomberg, Eric Schmidt said,

“The Android ecosystem is the No. 1 priority, and that we won’t do anything with Motorola, or anybody else by the way, that would screw up the dynamics of that industry. We need strong, hard competition among all the Android players. We won’t play favourites in the way people are concerned about.”

He went on to imply that the purchase of Motorola had much to do with its 17,000 patents, which will help defend Android from various lawsuits. Sleep soundly, droid-lovers of openness and non-exclusivity. You’ve heard it from the horse’s mouth. [Bloomberg via AllThingsD]

Image: AP Images/J. Scott Applewhite