SAN FRANCISCO: Google’s sale of faded mobile phone star Motorola Mobility to Chinese computer titan Lenovo promises to strengthen Apple’s rivals at home and abroad, according to analysts.

Google has agreed to sell Motorola to Lenovo for $2.91 billion, after a lackluster two-year effort to turn around the smartphone maker it bought for $12.5 billion.

The Motorola buy provides Lenovo footholds in smartphone and tablet markets where it is eager to gain traction while acting as a peace offering to Samsung and other partners that make devices powered by Google-backed Android software.