Near term: Atleast for another year till the regulatory approvals are through, the business has to be as usual. Also for all the phones Motorola Mobility has sold they need to support for a minimum of 3 years (typical life of phone). Motorola's smart phones are primarily Android based, so they can continue without any issue. Google should let Motorola continue developing their LTE (3.9G) and 4G solutions. Google can also look at potential acquisitions and agreements for the missing pieces of the phone platform.
Medium term: In the next 2-3 years Google should focus on coming up with an entire platform integrated from the RF (antenna) all the way upto Android OS. Google could make use of their software design capabilities and ensure that any small vendor can quickly make an Android phone with that platform. The platform should have completed the operator acceptance and GCF type approval tests mandatory for launch in several markets. The idea is to essentially accelerate the commoditization of the mobile handset industry. As mentioned in another post in the same blog, Mediatek is doing something similar for GSM. What would be important at this point of time is to reduce the Motorola portfolio of mobile devices to probably something like the nexus series and transfer the brand equity to the platform developed. So the mobiles apart from the vendor name could also sport things like Powered by Motorola. There is however a big risk of competing with the likes of Intel Mobile and Qualcomm. Unless Android gets as big as the current Windows for Desktops and Laptops, it may not be very easy to fight the likes of Qualcomm and Intel.
Long term: In 5+ years, Google could continue investing in the next generation wireless technologies, include the hardware that enables more secure and seem less cloud experience in their platforms and support localization and customization of handsets. Google has to evolve Android such that substantial customization is possible and yet apps developed for one version of Android run across the customizations. By enabling smaller players to enter mobile handset development Google can ensure that they retain control over the Android version that goes into the market, for rarely do small vendors have the where withal for major Android abstraction development. The entry into the platform business will allow Google more flexibility to evolve systems to suite the next generation services (for example the GPS chip on phone can communicate better with the services running on Android).
Thus in my opinion it is important that Google should continue acquisitions in this space if they have to maintain their customer reach.
PS: No strategy can be made in isolation to the environment. Especially in this space where all the big names with deep pockets are operating. Also every action of Google will be observed and analysed thoroughly. For example, Apple may decide to become more open or if Microsoft-Nokia's third ecosystem clicks they can present a different set of challenges all together.
