Still, as Reuters notes, the deal will
give Google more than 17,000 patents, which it can use to protect its Android operating system. Fundamentally, Google's plan to pay $12.5 billion for Motorola Mobility is a defensive move against
Apple and its highly successful mobile and tablet offerings.
Schmidt this week also praised former Apple CEO Steve Jobs, who stepped down last week, and said that he's "proud" of his stint as an Apple director. "It's certainly the best performance of a CEO in 50 years," Schmidt said of Jobs, according to Reuters. "We've all benefited from the tremendous innovation at Apple. And I say this as a very proud former board member at Apple."