Android loses more ‘open’ cred as Google fights fragmentation

The Applification of Android.

This is the main reason why I refuse to buy a Android Device. To me Android is open for carriers and OEMs to screw the consumers. Why can’t they put all that garbage in the app market and let the customer Decide if they want it or not, kind of what Apple does with Verizon. Letting carriers and OEMs dictate what crap they want to preload on your phone is not what customers are looking for.

So they’re switching to what Microsoft is doing with windows phone 7? Who knew that day would cone? Im glad they are though, I’m tired of companies releasing products and being behind on key software updates and fixes (I’m looking at you Samsung and your galaxy line!!!!)

No, Android is not losing Open Source Cred. If anything, by going after skinned UIs that most times hamper Android and prevent the fast flow of updates to handsets Google is helping to push innovation and the open source nature of the OS. Many Manufacturers, like Motorola, Sony, to a lesser extent Samsung and HTC have used their skinned UIs as excuses to lock down their phones to protect their proprietary code, locking bootloaders and encrypting them to prevent Android users from tampering with them. By restricting the use of these skins/UIs Google is actually helping the end customer, because it gives us greater choice when choosing vanilla android. Moreover, if Google is closing anything, it is the loophole in Android’s open source that allows manufacturers to do whatever they want, while stifling innovation from the Android community of users. What this does, is take that tool out of manufacturer hands, and allow end users to customize (if they so choose) as they see fit. So, gimme a break with these Oh noes, end of Open Source hyperbole.

End users benefit, as does the open source nature of Android by taking the Open Source out of the hands of manufactuersrs and placing it right back in the hands of the consumer.

good hopefully this leads to more vanilla android devices…

It was entirely predictable that Google, the handset makers, and the carriers would tighten up once they got a critical mass of Android users. None of them want a truly open experience. Not that Android has ever been truly open.

Seems like moves like this can only be good for openness, what they have been doing until now is allowing larger partners to have special access so they can work against the spirit of what Android is supposed to be. People who wanted to release true android devices had to wait for the AOSP release and devices filled with useless (at best) bloat were able to beat them to market.

I think in the beginning Google was forced to bend on it’s principles to attract manufacturer interest, and as a reward they have situations like Motorloa exploring their own OS so they can spoon feed more manure into consumers hands & eyes than they can with Blur on top of Android.

Now Android is the market leader, they can afford to hold true to their goals. It would be interesting to see what happens when major companies have to compete with the custom ROM builders if everyone gets access to the OS at the same time. I think that Blur, Sense, TouchWIZ and other nonsense will not be nearly as important if it delays them to market.

all business models need to change as they grow. apple has reversed many decisions after finding out what is important to users (ie 3rd party compilers). this is not a surprise.

Bait=Free Open Software
Switch=Free “Open” Software

The best way for Android to continue to move forward as a dominating OS is for Google to exercise more control of their OS. I know people hate on Apple and Jobs about how they are overly protective and referring to as “dictator-ish” in their control but that control also allows them to keep user experience up, consistency among devices and users not having to worry about malicious applications being distributed through it’s own app store. That “closed” ecosystem provides a much better user experience especially for novel smartphone users. Google also needs to start enforcing some control. And that’s ok. They don’t have to be as strict as Apple but they certainly need to be a little less loose than they currently are. That’s the best way to even further the platform and help provide good, consistent user experience across the board.

Why don’t the hardware manufactures sell their UI skin in the app market for those who want them for a few bucks and ship out the phones as android stock??

This could also pose challenges for manufacturers who are already struggling to differentiate themselves from other makers. If they are limited on the custom tweaks they can do they that lessens their ability to differentiate.

What all this means is that Google has learned the hard way that giving manufacturers the freedom to embellish their UI to make it look prettier than their competitors’ in order to sell more phones, wasn’t a good idea. Also, that Apple was always right by controlling it’s own hardware, as well as the OS. Some may complain that it’s restrictive, and that the consumer should have control over the way their phone looks/behaves, so they can brag to their friends. Google thought that was the important thing, so it made it’s OS an open source, and considering only the numbers, at the beginning it looked like they were right. Until Android began to fragment. Now they start to realize that the consumer knows nothing about how the phone’s ecosystem works. They just want something pretty to show off. That’s all. Consequently, Android has become a fragmented mess, and now it’s to up to Google to clean it up. Good luck!

It’s a good thing. Google got the platform out and now it’s time to tighten the reigns. All in all it will result in a better experience for the end user. And all the whiny babies won’t be able to complain about outdated hardware. Also Google has always hinted that they were going to a yearly update schedule. I do think that Google will release the code to devs.

Good for Google.

Sometimes you have to pay a little more for the best seats in the house. It’s their right to ask for it.

Bing and Yahoo should have a right to exist on the platform but Google earned the greater right.

Microsoft and Bing can get with the hardware manufactures after Google provides the updated sources…which isn’t required until *AFTER* they release the binary code running on a device.

At the same time, Honeycomb should be out already.

Google may be rolling their own Linux distro but it’s their obligation to provide source in a timely manner once they release the binaries.

whats killing me is half these people arguing that sense and blur and all those UI’s are better than stock, havent used a stock android phone let alone a phone with gingerbread.

Google and the device makers need to work together to make the stuff that the device makers want to put on top of the OS more independent. This way google updates can be rolled much quicker, so that all devices that can handle the newer versions (most of them can) get the ability to upgrade.

Google should also highly encourage if not require the ability to removedisable this as well as any other programs installed on the phone. Its one thing to install crapware, its another thing to remove the ability to remove it without root.

And i would agree. Sense does offer improvements over stock. Though it should be able to be disabled for those who do not want it.

About time but better late then never. I’m tired of getting phones and having to install a custom ROM so it can run like it was meant to in the first place. All the crap Carriers add just bugs down the phone. Apple hast it right and won’t let the carriers RUIN the user experience.

So can someone explain to me how they can still use the word “open” with a straight face? I’m certain it is actually still open… but that “kinda open” and “kinda pregnant” thing resonates.

Now that Google is becoming the same evil overlord most people think Apple is, whats next on the horizon for those that love the little guy and cheer for the real “open” world… ?

On one hand this is entirely understandable but on the other hand…welcome to the beginning of evil Google. The truth is the larger Google becomes and the more Google itself uses Android to deliver products to the market this was bound to happen. On the bright side perhaps this will encourage some companies to develop their own OS instead of using a bastard version of Android which is itself incomplete.

Google only has 1/3 of the market and this happens, wait till they own the smartphone space, they’ll make Apple look open…

does this mean less bloat?