Google Tightening Control Over Android as Fragmentation Increases

[Frobozz]

The best way to achieve a user friendly platform is to control it. Period. And since we know Google can't possibly be naive enough to think Android would really be "open," one can conclude this was planned. If you gain enough steam, you can start getting hardware vendors reliant on your platform. At which point, you tighten the strings to create a consistent and satisfying user experience.

I have used Honeycomb. There are nice features to it, just as there are nice features to Android. But I felt like I had to "learn" Android. I have never felt that way with iOS. Although advanced features can be opaque, the navigation and interaction model are intuitive and simple. They are based on real world gestures and interactions. That makes the learning curve less severe. Android doesn't really do this. It attempts to shove desktop metaphors and all the mess that comes with it. User's don't want to interact with the file system. They don't want to have to have 3 or 4 ways to achieve the same tasks; case in point, application switching. And, just like windows, everything seems to be buried under a pile of menus.

Google hasn't figured out UI design yet. They don't know how to conceptualize an experience FIRST, and implement features later. They are talented developers, but they don't understand users yet. I have confidence they will get there over time, however.

 

[GFLPraxis]

You could say the same thing about Apple though. The Apple fad will go away and the extremely closed ecosystem which seems to not be really developing much in terms of UI or having an actual roadmap could end iOS.

I don't understand why people can't just see the pros and cons of both and accept both are great platforms. Its always a WAR with Apple fans. Apple against EVERYONE!

Wars are great for the economy. This IS a war. But we're the economy that benefits from it. And it doesn't have that "people dying" downside to traditional wars.

Yay for corporate wars, since the winner is us!

 

[dgree03]

I've been wanting to say this for a very long time. Google's OS has no advantage over iOS. You could even say it has a disadvantage. Having to create a vanilla code base that needs to function on multiple pieces of hardware is complex, more complexity creates weaker system.

But here's my point. The ONLY ONLY reason why Android market share is anywhere near what it is today is because of the Buy One Get One options at most phone retailers. iOS has NEVER done that and hopefully never will. If you didn't care about the phone or service but needed two "Newer Smart Phones" one for you and one for your wife, why not go with the "Blah Blah" model from Verizon where if I buy one today I get the second for free (two year agreement and activation fees required).

Market share means nothing. This platform is doomed unless Google reins it in and get control over it. If they do, providers will be less willing to work with them, if they don't, by by Android.

My Two Cents.
-LanPhantom

Iphone are sold BOGO and even just free on contract over in other countries.

Android has quite a few advantages over iOS. And as it stands right now, android is still as "open" as it was 1 minutes before this article got posted

Nice try.

 

[iliketyla]

I've been wanting to say this for a very long time. Google's OS has no advantage over iOS. You could even say it has a disadvantage. Having to create a vanilla code base that needs to function on multiple pieces of hardware is complex, more complexity creates weaker system.

But here's my point. The ONLY ONLY reason why Android market share is anywhere near what it is today is because of the Buy One Get One options at most phone retailers. iOS has NEVER done that and hopefully never will. If you didn't care about the phone or service but needed two "Newer Smart Phones" one for you and one for your wife, why not go with the "Blah Blah" model from Verizon where if I buy one today I get the second for free (two year agreement and activation fees required).

Market share means nothing. This platform is doomed unless Google reins it in and get control over it. If they do, providers will be less willing to work with them, if they don't, by by Android.

My Two Cents.
-LanPhantom

From my own personal experience, I know very few people that have Android phones that took advantage of the BOGO deal.

I personally bought this Android phone because I read reviews, and it was the best lower end phone, and I can't justify spending an enormous amount of money on something I'll upgrade in a year.

I used an iPhone 3GS for a year, and I don't miss it.
It's a very nice phone, but the features that I can use on Android more than make up for any advantages the iPhone had.

Once again, this is just MY opinion, but I figured I'd throw it out there.

 

[Mattie Num Nums]

I have 2 friends with android, one with an HTC and one with Samsung Galaxy S.

They have different OS versions since they aren't able to update it, they get crap bugs and error in almost every software they use. I say to one of them to update to lastest version, he told me he can't because he need to do it from "root"... i don't know, but at least i was able to install WhatsApp on their phones, the only thing i care Naturally they are suing their device at minimum, one of them neither have 3G connection. When we are at pub, they all use my iPhone for browsing and gaming (sigh) as always has been.

The issue with that each company skins the phone differently. The issue is not with Android the issue is with the Manufacturers such as HTC and Samsung not releasing their updates when Android does. It shouldn't take more than a few weeks to port HTC Sense to Android 2.3 when it is released.

 

[LightSpeed1]

I knew it would happen eventually.

 

[dethmaShine]

Google is going to define 'open' in a way it benefits them and their advertising crusade.

I remember those days of the G1 on vodafone (in the UK, I guess?) such horrible, sluggish phones; google shipping out an incomplete product were at the mercy of Carriers and Manufacturers and now they don't give a ****.

Another less in the light: Never partner with Google. They have always been like this.

 

[LanPhantom]

How is it biting them in the ass? Android is the fastest growing OS with a larger share than IOS. I think it's been a very succesfull strategy.

It's because of the Buy One Get One option. Nothing more. People choose that option because it makes financial sense and if they don't really care about the OS or the phone, they will choose the one that fits their check books. If Apple was to OK ATT and VZ to do a Buy One Get One on the iPhone, there would be no comparison. It would be game over for Android.

-LanPhantom

 

[Mattie Num Nums]

If anything this is Google telling the manufacturers to get their crap together. All of the custom UI's need to be updates in some sort of a Google approved Roadmap.

IE: Google releases Android 2.3.3. All manufacturers have X amount of time to port their Custom UI's (HTC Sense, TouchWiz, etc.). What this will do is take the pressure off of the "fragmentation" of Android and place it in the hands of the real culprits... the manufactures, HTC, Samsung, et al.

It's because of the Buy One Get One option. Nothing more. People choose that option because it makes financial sense and if they don't really care about the OS or the phone, they will choose the one that fits their check books. If Apple was to OK ATT and VZ to do a Buy One Get One on the iPhone, there would be no comparison. It would be game over for Android.

-LanPhantom

Thats not true. Me and my gf both switched because we hated AT&T and Verizon. We went to Sprint and are very happy. I have an EVO she has an EVO-Shift. Almost everyone I know with Android phones have high end phones.

 

[Benjamins]

You could say the same thing about Apple though. The Apple fad will go away and the extremely closed ecosystem which seems to not be really developing much in terms of UI or having an actual roadmap could end iOS.

I don't understand why people can't just see the pros and cons of both and accept both are great platforms. Its always a WAR with Apple fans. Apple against EVERYONE!

If Apple FAD goes away, where will Google copy from next?

You are delusional if you think Google is not building upon the Apple FAD.

 

[inkswamp]

John Gruber would eat Steve Job's ***** if he could. His opinion is extremely biased.

You don't read his site, do you?

 

[jonnysods]

Suckaz. What a mess.

 

[ethana]

How is it biting them in the ass? Android is the fastest growing OS with a larger share than IOS. I think it's been a very succesfull strategy.

Smartphone OS, yes (iPhone vs. Android phones).

iOS as whole (iPads + iPods + iPhones) kills Android numbers though. By LARGE margins.

 

[Mister Snitch]

By the end of this thread, it'll be impossible to decipher what the original story was about.

As opposed to YOUR post, which is all about the original story. Right.

 

[ninjadex]

What so many fail to realize is iOS was made for the iPad from the get-go. It's been mentioned many times that what became the iPad was in development longer than the original iPhone.

This goes to show that iOS conceptualization is light years ahead of Android. It's so obvious Google is scrambling, and seems to be making this stuff as they go along, without any sense of a master design guiding the way.

 

[Mister Snitch]

I knew it would happen eventually.

It was.... their DESTINY!

 

[Mattie Num Nums]

If Apple FAD goes away, where will Google copy from next?

You are delusional if you think Google is not building upon the Apple FAD.

What the heck are you talking about. Google is building upon the technology. Apple did a great job advancing the technology which pushed everyone else to do the same. Its called competition its been happening for years and in every industry.

 

[deputy_doofy]

Smartphone OS, yes (iPhone vs. Android phones).

iOS as whole (iPads + iPods + iPhones + Apple TV) kills Android numbers though. By LARGE margins.

Fixed that!

If Apple FAD goes away, where will Google copy from next?

You are delusional if you think Google is not building upon the Apple FAD.

If there's any truth to the Google Android prototype phone being Blackberry-like, then Google is merely pulling a Microsoft by copying Apple's success. Otherwise, why wouldn't Google have continued down that path?

 

[coyote]

This wont end androids openness. It will make is so that there is more of a consistent experience amung all android devices.

Oh, then I can take the Honeycomb source code and do whatever I want with it?

Oh, wait, I can't? Then how doesn't this make Android 'closed source'?

 

[maelstromr]

Don't be evil.

Until you stop making money.

 

[gorjan]

I have 2 friends with android, one with an HTC and one with Samsung Galaxy S.

They have different OS versions since they aren't able to update it, they get crap bugs and error in almost every software they use. I say to one of them to update to lastest version, he told me he can't because he need to do it from "root"... i don't know, but at least i was able to install WhatsApp on their phones, the only thing i care Naturally they are using their device at minimum, few software and one of them neither have 3G connection. When we are at pub, they all use my iPhone for browsing and gaming (sigh) as always has been.

This is exactly why I sold my Samsung Galaxy S the other day and purchased an iPhone. The Samsung crashed all the time and it was slow to the unbearable!

 

[iLunar]

If anything this is Google telling the manufacturers to get their crap together. All of the custom UI's need to be updates in some sort of a Google approved Roadmap.

IE: Google releases Android 2.3.3. All manufacturers have X amount of time to port their Custom UI's (HTC Sense, TouchWiz, etc.). What this will do is take the pressure off of the "fragmentation" of Android and place it in the hands of the real culprits... the manufactures, HTC, Samsung, et al.

But I thought customization was the reason that so many people liked Android? All I ever hear about is custom wallpapers, custom themes, custom ringtones, custom grids, custom flash, custom this and that etc etc, and that the user is given a choice unlike with iOS.

It sounds like Google is now finding that to be problematic.

 

[Dr McKay]

Please, enlighten us, how does fragmentation bite Android's ass when it is the #1 smartphone OS. Regardless what you think, Android and iOS are by far the most successful OS in the last 5 years.

How is it biting them in the ass? Android is the fastest growing OS with a larger share than IOS. I think it's been a very succesfull strategy.

I never said it's already got them, I said it would get them eventually, and now Google has seen this, and is now tightening control.

And how it will 'bite them in the ass' is with the user experience, users seeing apps on the Android Marketplace, but the app doesnt support their phone, or requires features their phone doesnt support, or their phone doesnt quite have the power to run it. Could crash their phone etc.

Their strategy ensured short-term gain, but problems later on.

Apple wont run into problems with iOS Fragmentation for a long time yet. And they can easily avoid these issues by officially not supporting older devices and preventing them accessing apps they cant run.

 

[smiddlehurst]

Thats not at all what this article is saying. The Android project is still going to be "open source".

Umm, not by Andy Rubin's own definition it's not:

the definition of open: “mkdir android ; cd android ; repo init -u git://android.git.kernel.org/platform/manifest.git ; repo sync ; make”

The problem here is Google aren't playing fair with their partners and they really ought to get grief over it. Good lord, remember the absolute storm of hate that went Apple's way when the subscription details were announced? This is actually far worse for those that depend on the Android OS yet geeks are scrambling to praise Google for doing it....

Now here's the thing... at the end of the day this is probably the right move for Android from a consumer point of view. It's likely to make it easier to get a device that you can update and that isn't drowning in crapware. The problem is they should have done it a year ago when the problem first became obvious. They haven't, they've got a LOT of companies heavily invested in Android and now they're radically changing the rules.

Frankly I wonder if something has gone seriously wrong within Google. Remember when 2.1 came out there were strong hints that they were working on separating the core OS from the GUI to allow far easier, almost device independent updates? We've heard virtually nothing about that since. Honeycomb is, by their own admission, a cludge, albeit a cludge with a lot of potential. I can't help but wonder if they've failed to come up with a software solution that'd let them handle fragmentation and keep a true open philosophy and are falling back on this as plan B. I'd also love to know if Amazon making moves into the App Store space and now launching Cloud Player before Google have an equivalent service have them worried. I wouldn't be at all surprised if there's conditions in those new partnership deals to make things like introducing new App Stores in the default build a lot harder.

 

[Benjamins]

What the heck are you talking about. Google is building upon the technology. Apple did a great job advancing the technology which pushed everyone else to do the same. Its called competition its been happening for years and in every industry.

so what Apple FAD are you talking about?

It's technology when it's Google.
It's a FAD when it's Apple?

What the **** are you talking about?