BW: Google cracks down on the chaos of Android Land; tweaks the meaning of 'open'

[RockdaMan]

I think the tone of the article is a bit over the top, but hey...who knows?

Playtime is over in Android Land. Over the last couple of months Google (GOOG3) has reached out to the major carriers and device makers backing its mobile operating system with a message: There will be no more willy-nilly tweaks to the software. No more partnerships formed outside of Google's purview. From now on, companies hoping to receive early access to Google's most up-to-date software will need approval of their plans. And they will seek that approval from Andy Rubin, the head of Google's Android group.

When Android hit the scene in 2008, Google had a tantalizing pitch: Android was "open source." That is, Google would do the hard work of developing the code, and hardware and software makers were free to use the system at no charge. Carriers and device makers relished the idea of not paying royalties. Android became the people's mobile software, a free zone that contrasted with the closed worlds of the iPhone (AAPL) and BlackBerry (RIMM). HTC, Motorola (MMI), and Acer could avoid spending billions developing their own operating systems and customize Android with unique services.

Over the past few months, according to several people familiar with the matter, Google has been demanding that Android licensees abide by "non-fragmentation clauses" that give Google the final say on how they can tweak the Android code—to make new interfaces and add services—and in some cases whom they can partner with.

Lots of companies put clauses in, ignore them while the platform grows, then enforce them when it's mature.

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine...3041200216.htm

[tubemonkey]

About time.

[RockdaMan]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

About time.

Yes, they are trending toward the Apple model now.

[kjk]

"The premise of a true open software platform may be where Android started, but it's not where Android is going," says Nokia (NOK) Chief Executive Stephen Elop, a former Microsoft executive who recently inked a deal with his former employer instead of Google. He says he did so in part because he thought he would have more opportunity to innovate atop Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 software.

I am very curious to see how Nokia is able to differentiate themselves on the WinPhone7 platform.

[madsquabbles]

Originally Posted by RockdaMan

Yes, they are trending toward the Apple model now.

i hope they tighten up a bit, but not as bad as apple.

with android the market is a mess, phone carriers and mfg's decided when and if you'd get an upgrade...

i love android's openness , but there needs some kind of structure enforced. a game with no rules will turn to chaos.

[wodin]

I think the balance of open/closed the Windows Mobile had worked pretty well.

[=X=]

You forgot a quote

The bottom line: Despite grumblings, Google's Android mobile operating system is still open—it's just getting more heavily policed.

It's a good thing, fragmentation is what stiffed UNIX and is threatening the same for Android. Having every phone/tablet/eReader hack up the UI to make it "their own" is horrible. The only skin that really was better than stock Android was HTC Sence, but Android advances have now left "HTC Sence" behind.

It's a move that is not surprising, Google has been buying up UI experts all to make the Android OS a better experience.


=X=

[RockdaMan]

Originally Posted by =X=

You forgot a quote
=X=

No I didn't. Your line says nothing that my post hasn't already said.

Another question:

http://twitter.com/#!/Supersmitty2/s...06316609662976

[RainingLemur]

...

I'm ok with this.