Bloomberg: Apple Competing With Google For Mobile Acquisitions

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Reversing their long-embraced policy of buying other companies rarely, Apple’s been on a shopping spree the past six months with the acquisition of Quattro Wireless, Lala, Intrinsity and Siri. What’s behind it?

Bloomberg has an interesting overview of Apple’s evolving acquisition strategy. What it comes down to, at the end of the day? Staying ahead of Google in the mobile space.

According to analyst Brian Marshall, Apple “learned a good lesson with AdMob.” Apple let the acquisition process linger too long, allowing Google to outbid them. Instead, they had to settle for “second-fiddle Quattro.”

Apple’s strategy has changed after the AdMob mistake: Apple is now putting extreme pressure on companies when they make a bid, sometimes giving a target only three hours to accept the terms of a sale, in order to avoid publicity and rival bidders getting wind.

“[Apple’s] got the resources. They have the team to do acquisitions now,” says Marshall. “It’s a technology land grab right now.”

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