Google clamps down on handset makers to stem Android fragmentation

135678

Comments

  • Reply 41 of 144
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by starnyc View Post


    How will the partners differentiate if they are not able to take liberties?



    What happens to google when apple makes a bold new move into the cloud?



    The reason vendors and carriers liked Android was because they cold make it their own. That?s the one thing it had going for it. Now, it does have an app ecosystem and will likely have even more apps running on it that are playable across more models due to the control, which is obviously Google reasoning for the bait-and-switch tactic at this point, but I wonder about previous comments about how WP& and other mobile OSes are cheaper for vendors than Android due to the licensing costs per unit being less than the in-house costs for getting Android to run on these devices.



    This was the only solution for Google, I just hope (for their sake) it doesn?t blow up in their face, but I?m not optimistic. I think this will give their weaker competitors some much needed lead time to get back into the race.
  • Reply 42 of 144
    swiftswift Posts: 436member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sprockkets View Post


    Uh, maybe instead of competing with themselves they will compete with WP7, RIM, Apple, webOS???



    The basic side effect of the Microsoft monopoly method, of which Android is a variant, is that hardware makers get put in a profit squeeze. If any of them are smart, they'll go back to programming a branch of Android, or going off on their own.
  • Reply 43 of 144
    Google:



    Step 1) Close barn door.



    Step 2) Check for horses.



    Step 3) Profit!





    >> The OTHER open issue Google has, is that their whole Java/Droid framework is open, Chinese hackers have stripped out all their "forced advertising" code, that subsidizes their "inexpensive -- NOT cheap" product.



    "closed" or open has never been the issue -- it's that the PLATFORM was not integrated. Who can develop and how apps get onto the device is a separate issue from that. But having a gatekeeper, is a bit of a hindrance for a developer but I'd argue -- the BEST thing for the consumer.



    Now, in a decade, their might be an issue with Apple being too big and making 30% on all the apps they deploy -- but that again, is a negotiation between businesses -- as long as the consumer is getting a fair price and a reliable product -- they don't care.
  • Reply 44 of 144
    I guess we can call this an "open" and "closed" case... Boom roasted!
  • Reply 45 of 144
    This makes no difference to actual end-users. Limiting what changes the manufacturer and/or carrier can make to Android may make the UI experience more consistent, but it won't affect what I think is most important, namely the software upgrade path.



    Both manufacturers and carriers will continue to deny or delay updates, and lock down the firmware to make it difficult for even 3rd parties from enabling you to do so.
  • Reply 46 of 144
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Paul94544 View Post


    Open/Closed whatever



    a new word - Android is Clopen



    Maybe you already know this and that's where you got this word.



    The restaurant industry uses the word "clopen". If servers have to close one evening and then open the next day it's called a clopen.
  • Reply 47 of 144
    trillottrillot Posts: 19member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Paul94544 View Post


    Open/Closed whatever



    a new word - Android is Clopen



    Clopen or Oplose?
  • Reply 48 of 144
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Trillot View Post


    Clopen or Oplose?



    Android is now Glügled?
  • Reply 49 of 144
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by insike View Post


    You can still fork Android, though, can't you?



    You can stick a fork in it.
  • Reply 50 of 144
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Swift View Post


    The basic side effect of the Microsoft monopoly method, of which Android is a variant, is that hardware makers get put in a profit squeeze. If any of them are smart, they'll go back to programming a branch of Android, or going off on their own.



    So they can't make their own layer of UI crap on the handset. I guess all that leaves is the screen size, type, CPU, GPU, battery life, voice performance, hardware quality, form factor...



    They can still use Android, but they know it isn't worth much without the Google services part to it.
  • Reply 51 of 144
    rhyderhyde Posts: 294member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sprockkets View Post


    Everyone here complains about the GPL vs. BSD/ASL2. Now that you just witnessed what people can do with this BSD like license, you all are complaining?



    I don't think the complaint is about GPL vs BSD at all. Rather, the complaint is that "they said it was open and now they are behaving as though it were closed."



    I don't think too many people around here would really care if Google completely closed Android (well, if that were legally possible, it's not of course). It's just the hypocrisy of blasting Apple for being closed and then acting in "less-than-open" fashion that giving all the fanbois a field day.



    Quote:

    I'll remember that the next time someone comes in here calling the FSF a bunch of religious zealots or freetards.



    Yeah, the FSF crowd are a bunch of religious zealots :-)



    I'd like to know this -- didn't Google learn anything from Microsoft's mistakes? They seem to be headed down the same path; especially with the whole Bing thing.
  • Reply 52 of 144
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by rhyde View Post


    I don't think the complaint is about GPL vs BSD at all...



    If Android was 100% GPL they couldn't pull this "closed" behavior they are doing now.



    Quote:

    I'd like to know this -- didn't Google learn anything from Microsoft's mistakes? They seem to be headed down the same path; especially with the whole Bing thing.





    "What do all men with power want? More power."



    It's easy to judge from an armchair. I doubt me or anyone else would behave any differently if they have a chance to make billions.
  • Reply 53 of 144
    I'm happy they are taking some control back, Samsungs awful Touch-wiz, and Motorolas Moto-blur UI overlays suck and give Android a bad name. Pure Google Android all the way. Its not like Android is loosing market share. It's number one but I want ultimate world dominance for Android.
  • Reply 54 of 144
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member


  • Reply 55 of 144
    crawdad62crawdad62 Posts: 100member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by insike View Post


    You can still fork Android, though, can't you?



    I wouldn't worry too much. IMHO Android has been "forked" from the beginning. I've always said it's a big forking mess.
  • Reply 56 of 144
    bryanlbryanl Posts: 67member
    Apple doesn't understand what open means. Remember when they said the Facetime protocol would be open? What it alls come down to is money and market share. Google is doing what they think they should to address the fragmentation issues. The problem with these huge companies like Apple and Google is every move they make, they'll piss off someone who knows how to come to forums like this one and complain extra loudly.
  • Reply 57 of 144
    brainlessbrainless Posts: 272member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Wovel View Post


    The open source pre-gingerbread parts yes.



    They never said Honeycomb won't be open source. There is no change in the license type.
  • Reply 58 of 144
    brainlessbrainless Posts: 272member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jd_in_sb View Post


    But "open" is Android's claim to fame! Welcome to reality Google! Open leads to fragmentation.



    Hey, Android is officially fragmented for quite some time. Check this.
  • Reply 59 of 144
    xsuxsu Posts: 401member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sprockkets View Post


    If Android was 100% GPL they couldn't pull this "closed" behavior they are doing now.






    Can anything really be less than 100% GPL? I thought you either have to make it 100% GPL or 0% GPL.
  • Reply 60 of 144
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by some internet dude View Post


    I'm happy they are taking some control back, Samsungs awful Touch-wiz, and Motorolas Moto-blur UI overlays suck and give Android a bad name. Pure Google Android all the way. Its not like Android is loosing market share.



    Why? What possible personal deficiency would lead you to such a pointless aspiration?
Sign In or Register to comment.