Those who thought Google Inc. (GOOG) was buying Motorola Mobility just for its treasure trove of patents can think again. Its plan to focus on 'fewer, bigger bets, and create wonderful devices that are used by people around the world' sounds rather like that of the competitor to beat. Apple Inc. (AAPL) produces few products, but sells a lot of them.

Google not only closed its $12.5 billionacquisition of the handset maker Tuesday, it has also replaced most of the top executive team. Out are Motorola's chief executive, chief financial officer, chief operating officer, strategy chief, chief marketing officer and others. In are a team of replacements from Google itself as well as the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN), among other places.

So, even if Google does follow through on its plan to run Motorola as a separate business, it is being Google-ized.

Strategically, that is a smart move--after all, Apple has become the world's most valuable company by fusing its software and hardware expertise with the iPhone. But it isn't without risks.

Google has next to no experience running a hardware business. While a software improvement can be made seamlessly to Google.com and new software services can be launched as 'beta' versions, hardware has very different challenges. There are design risks, manufacturing risks, heavy marketing costs, the need to work closely with retailers, and the risk of over- or underestimating demand for products in a volatile business where success is subject to consumer whims.

Some of those taking over will have to learn on the job. New Motorola chief Dennis Woodside was a lawyer and a consultant before joining Google in 2003. He most recently ran Google's Sales & Operations in the Americas. A point in Mr. Woodside's favor is that he comes to the job with Apple's stamp of approval. The iPhone maker once tried to poach him.

It has also been noted that Google risks scaring device partners that use its Android ecosystem by jumping into the handset game itself. Partners like Samsung (SSNHY) and HTC (HTCXF) would probably prefer not to rely on a handset rival to provide the operating system on their best-selling devices.

None of which is to say that Google's move is ill-judged. Even as Android has become the most popular mobile operating system, it hasn't yet proved a profit machine like hardware has for some. But Google investors should remember that Apple had a big advantage when it leapt into the fast-changing, competitive handset market with the iPhone: years of experience marrying hardware and software in Macs and iPods.