Google locking down Android? No. I doubt we could be so lucky.

March 31, 2011 | by Andrew Kameka

Bloomberg reported today that Google is cracking the whip on Android phones, forcing companies to abide by anti-Android fragmentation clauses and not modify the Android experience too much. The Internet then blew up with “OMG! Is Android open source ending?” responses because it seemed Google was going to begin locking down Android.

The only problem is that everyone failed to recognize a line brought up in the BusinessWeek article that sparked the latest Android hubbub: Google has always locked down Android releases in its early stages. Qualcomm and HTC had to play by Google’s rules for the Nexus One, and NVIDIA and Motorola followed the leader to be first to market with the Motorola Xoom. Companies that want early access to the latest version of Android have to sacrifice their desire to heavily-tweak the software in order to beat other companies to the punch. While this may anger smaller companies, that doesn’t mean Google has fundamentally altered its plans for Android.

It seems Android phone and tablet makers are more upset that Google’s practices don’t give them enough time to alter Android as much as they would like. Discussions about the openness and promptness of Google Android code releases have popped up several times, so nothing has really changed based on this article. The dozen or so executives use as sources for the article may seem upset that Google is tightening its policies, but Google is not standing in the way of customizations, which a rep confirmed to us last week.

There are times I wish Google would be heavy-handed with Android because it would help alleviate the frustrations that come from the differences in processors, skins, and hardware issues that make it so difficult for apps to function in a uniform fashion. But I doubt that would happen since it would provide less options in terms of form factor and phone quality. That’s what made Android rise to popularity and diverting from that strategy could be a step backwards. Was Google’s end game to get everyone in the building and then change the rules once the door was locked? Possible but doubtful. Things in “Android Land” are the same as there were last year, just with a bigger crowd to control.

Android fragmentation, android os, Android Phones, fragmentation, Google, Google Android, open, open source

4 Comments

p0upoune says:

March 31, 2011 at 12:08 pm

Google is right to block certain things. When the manufacturer and the service provider decide to add their own apps and UI, it becomes a mess, meaning people don't get the updates. And on our phone, we get (like on my Legend) some app always running that i never use (Bourse and actuality … i NEVER started them, but they are ALWAYS running in background)
AD1DAS101 says:

March 31, 2011 at 12:26 pm

sounds like companies are the ones bitching here, this move would not affect the end consumer, just companies adding that crap bloatware to amazing android phones, stock android FTW
bookworm316 says:

March 31, 2011 at 2:36 pm

Google needs to come down harder to create the proper experience that has their name on it. Their should be an approval process before a custom UI can be placed on an android device and if it doesn't meet the high requirements set by good then it cannot be installed. The approach they are taking with Android 3.0 and tablets is what they should do with phones soon.
Ankit Saini says:

April 3, 2011 at 2:48 pm

I think Google is doing right thing as it give opportunities to other competitors to raise there product quality.. Thanks My recent post Best Google Android Applications
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