Last week's flurry of corporate buyouts was apparently only a dinner bell.
Google
Cynics will scoff at Google's history of veering into sponsored spaces outside of its dot-com stronghold. Forays into print, radio, and television advertising have been mostly fruitless. Mobile advertising, on the other hand, is a clearer fit for Google's Web-served ads.
Google is already there, to some extent, with DoubleClick Mobile. However, just as it acquired YouTube despite having its own video-sharing offering a couple of years ago, Google wants to make sure that it owns this category.
Mobile advertising is blowing up right now. Google continues to butt heads with Microsoft
This deal is also noteworthy because it's an all-stock deal. Big G was brokering mostly small deals this year until AdMob, and it decides to pay in stock certificates?
Google has $22 billion in cash and short-term investments on its balance sheet. The consensus is that cash-rich tech monsters Google, Microsoft, and Cisco
So let the conspiracy theorists whip up the questions that everyone is wondering:
- Is Google conserving its greenbacks for an even bigger purchase?
- Does Google feel that its stock is expensive at this point, making it ideal legal tender?
Google isn't about to tip its hand. For today at least, the AdMob rules.
What do you think should be Google's next purchase? Share your shopping list in the comment box below.