Microsoft was courting Motorola, and Google swooped in to make sure Microsoft didn't get it. Some speculate that Microsoft gamed Google into making a bad decision and painting Android into a corner.



From PCWorld:

Microsoft was engaged in talks to acquire Motorola Mobility before Google swooped in. There is some speculation floating around that Microsoft may attempt to outbid Google for Motorola. Those rumors are highly unlikely unless Microsoft did it just as a game of financial chicken to force Google to up its bid and waste even more money on the Motorola deal.

There is also a conspiracy theory that Microsoft was never really interested in purchasing Motorola, and that the negotiations were a strategic move from the outset. Essentially, the theory claims that Microsoft only courted Motorola to lure Google into rashly snatching the company up just to keep it (and the sizeable patent portfolio) out of Microsoft's hands--and that Microsoft and Windows Phone 7 ultimately benefit from that alliance.

  Did Microsoft Trick Google Into Buying Motorola?