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Google tightening noose on Android... not so "open" anymore?

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Google pushes 'non-fragmentation' on Android, hits Verizon | Electronista

Daring Fireball Linked List: I Saw This Coming All Along

Do Not Anger the Alpha Android - BusinessWeek


Playtime is over in Android Land. Over the last couple of months Google 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.

Read the other links for some good reading. It seems that Google no longer thinks that letting carriers do what they like really meets the definition of "open".
 
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Finally, took them long enough! They need to move in this direction if Android is to remain a viable platform.
 
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Finally, took them long enough! They need to move in this direction if Android is to remain a viable platform.

I completely agree.

It will also anger many of the hard core users who embraced the "openness" of Android.

Such is life.
 
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This is what they should have been doing in the first place, as this has ZERO impact on what source code they will and will not distribute outside of their OEM partners. This will have no bearing on the so called "hard core" users who embrace the open platform. What is going on is that Google is tightening its restrictions upon its business partners.

The non official ROMs and all that jazz will still be maintained by all the devs in the open source community. The only people this will effect (and in a good way) are those who don't root their phones, the average Jane and Joe consumer. And they very likely won't even be aware of what is happening. They'll get more stability, longevity and better future updates.

So really, what is happening is being sensationalized and taken out of context. What a surprise...

Doug
 
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This is what they should have been doing in the first place, as this has ZERO impact on what source code they will and will not distribute outside of their OEM partners. This will have no bearing on the so called "hard core" users who embrace the open platform. What is going on is that Google is tightening its restrictions upon its business partners.

The non official ROMs and all that jazz will still be maintained by all the devs in the open source community. The only people this will effect (and in a good way) are those who don't root their phones, the average Jane and Joe consumer. And they very likely won't even be aware of what is happening. They'll get more stability, longevity and better future updates.

So really, what is happening is being sensationalized and taken out of context. What a surprise...

Oh I don't disagree that this is what they should have been doing all along. Actually I think it's a turn for the better. I just think it's hilarious that, after claiming just a few months ago that fragmentation and letting carriers do what they please was all in the spirit of being "open" (I forget the exact quote), they've reversed course.

I do disagree that this will have zero impact on enthusiasts and the open source community (unless they are using some non-Google source of Android...???). Google is already withholding the source to Honeycomb, and while I'm sure they will release it eventually, I suspect it will be only after the next version is ready and they will release the old and hold the new. I imagine the same will hold true for the phone versions also in the near future. And with Google wanting the devices clamped down, I would think it'd be increasingly difficult to jailbre... I mean root... future phones. I don't think this is all a BAD thing. Just funny that Android is slowly becoming more like the iPhone when being unlike it was the big selling point.
 

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