Google & Motorola: What's really going on?

Earlier this week, Google announced that it was acquiring Motorola. The press coverage has been overwhelming, and it has all centered on one thing: patents. But is this really all about patents?

In Google CEO Larry Page's blog post on the acquisition there are a few recurring themes:

Since its launch in November 2007, Android has not only dramatically increased consumer choice but also improved the entire mobile experience for users.
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Together, we will create amazing user experiences that supercharge the entire Android ecosystem for the benefit of consumers, partners and developers everywhere.
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Many hardware partners have contributed to Android’s success and we look forward to continuing to work with all of them to deliver outstanding user experiences.
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The combination of Google and Motorola will not only supercharge Android, but will also enhance competition and offer consumers accelerating innovation, greater choice, and wonderful user experiences. I am confident that these great experiences will create huge value for shareholders.

And on the patents?

Motorola has a history of over 80 years of innovation in communications technology and products, and in the development of intellectual property
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We recently explained how companies including Microsoft and Apple are banding together in anti-competitive patent attacks on Android. [...] Our acquisition of Motorola will increase competition by strengthening Google’s patent portfolio

While there is a patent story here, I would dare say that Google has other interests. News of the Motorola acquisition comes as Apple, a company fabled for amazing user experiences due to integration of hardware and software, briefly became America's biggest publicly traded firm. Perhaps Google fancies itself as needing to be more than just a software company?