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Comment by mkinsella | Hacker News Reader

Google's purchase of AdMob now looks like a great exit by AdMob and horrible purchase by Google

That announcement had shades of Microsoft for me: "you want to compete with us? OK, we'll just re-create your only profitable product using our proprietary internal APIs. Our version will be more integrated, faster and better than yours, and you can't do a damn thing about it, because we own the platform."

It's a bit of a stretch to say that AdMob was a "horrible" purchase, though. They had to do something to move into the space. The only question is whether the iPhone is dominant enough in the market to make Apple's strategy successful over the long term -- if Android takes over the mobile market, Apple will only have a monopoly on a niche ad network.

Usually Google buys talent e.g. Etherpad or technology e.g. Keyhole. In case of AdMob, Google didn't purchase the technology or people but rather the customers and goodwill.

Sounds like they purchased the opportunity to deny Apple the talent/tech/customers/goodwill.

FCC still hasn't approved the purchase. I'm hard-pressed to see any anti-trust issues now, but imagine if it got blocked? It will be tough to compete with iAd.

FTC, not FCC

"Steve: We tried to buy AdMob but Google came in and snatched them from us cuz they didn't want us to have them"

All I can say is LOL! sorry.

edit: forgot to say it's a quote I saw on arstechnica live coverage.

If that's all you can say, you really don't have to post it here. We tend to value more useful comments than that.

Well I thought a direct quote from Steve Jobs about them trying to buy Admob and google not wanting them to buy them before they do was of strong value as a reply on a comment about Admob. But hey, I'll move from your lawn.

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