Google widens Motorola unit restructure Google said jobs at its Motorola Mobility division would be cut in a bigger number of countries, while also warning that the further restructuring it was considering for the troubled handset business could lead to "significant" charges. The internet-search group revealed in August that it planned to cut headcount at Motorola by 4,000, or 20 per cent, with two-thirds coming from outside the US. At the time, it said the moves would lead to severance costs of $275m, most of which would be recognised in the third quarter. On Thursday Google raised severance costs for the third quarter to $300m as it includes "additional geographic regions outside of the US" in the plan. It also said it would take a charge of $90m this year and next to reflect the closure of some Motorola plants and the departure from some markets. Google's quick action to slash costs at Motorola, which it acquired in May, has calmed fears on Wall Street about the impact that buying a large, struggling hardware maker would have on the company. Although Google said the purchase was sparked by the company's need for a large portfolio of patents to defend its Android mobile software from legal attack, analysts had worried that Google would become distracted by the Motorola turnround. The easing of concerns about Motorola is one of the factors cited by analysts for the strong rally in Google's shares over the past three months. This week its stock market value rose above that of old rival Microsoft.