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Google is defragging Android

arstechnica.com

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Re: Google is defragging Android

#31

Post by kevingadd »

habosa wrote: post #19
fphhotchips wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I remember when Android was starting to gain popularity (around 1.6 I suppose), one of the key decisions that I really liked was that Google apps would have no more access to the OS than any other apps. There was no preference to Google. This has now all changed. Further, what's to stop other vendors doing this, possibly without users knowledge? How many users will click "allow" on a permissions box that gives the ve…

Where has this changed? Google's apps are still built on top of the SDK. The only real change was the centralization of Google Play Services, but that doesn't change the level of OS access at all and 3rd-party developers can still tap in to these services.

Play Services having a custom updater and the ability to silently gain more permissions is definitely not something available to average 3rd party developers.

Re: Google is defragging Android

#32

Post by kailuowang »

engrenage wrote: post #6

Notably, Play services is totally closed. So Google has abandoned the open source part of Android and is now developing the operating system as a completely closed product. Edit: downvotes don't change the truth of the observation. Android is no longer meaningfully open, other than a years old core of basic functions. Just like OSX and Darwin.

There is still one major difference between play service and osx or ios -it is free and can be installed on any compatible devices, so I wouldn't call it "totally" closed at least not as close as iOS.

Re: Google is defragging Android

#33

Post by speeder »

msoad wrote: post #25
sciwiz wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"So Google has abandoned the open source part of Android and is now developing the operating system as a completely closed product." Not sure what's new here.. Play always came with strings attached. OEMs can choose Play or use AOSP and roll their own Play analogue like Meizu or Xiaomi or Amazon.

Correct me if I'm wrong. From 4.0 Play is mandatory if you want drivers. That's why Barnes and Noble had to put Play on their devices.

I am OEM app developer and can confirm this.

One of our apps rely on GPS, and the manufacturers that bought that app from us could only make it work after installing Play Services, and they could not figure a way to make it work without Play Services.

Re: Google is defragging Android

#34

Post by spion »

As always, everyone forgets to mention the poor, slow and by now outdated Android WebView - which by the way will finally be getting a very important upgrade in the form of WebViewFactory. This may allow using alternative WebViews, such as a chromium-based webview - another important step towards defragmentation.

Some more info is available at http://danosipov.com/?p=572

Re: Google is defragging Android

#36

Post by SirPulse »

estel wrote: post #18
engrenage wrote: post #6

Notably, Play services is totally closed. So Google has abandoned the open source part of Android and is now developing the operating system as a completely closed product. Edit: downvotes don't change the truth of the observation. Android is no longer meaningfully open, other than a years old core of basic functions. Just like OSX and Darwin.

On the other hand, Google Play Services largely encompasses those features that were /always/ closed source in Android: maps, google+ and GCM. The Google applications that are core to the "standard" Android experience for most users have also always been closed source: Maps, Gmail, Google Calendar. There are still a lot of new features being introduced to the core Android APIs, with fragmentation issues being mitigat…

Not just that, Google is devoting its energy to develop the closed platform rather than developing android. The example you give are relatively minor updates with major new functionality now being developed outside of core android as the author points out.

Re: Google is defragging Android

#37

Post by Zigurd »

msoad wrote: post #25
sciwiz wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"So Google has abandoned the open source part of Android and is now developing the operating system as a completely closed product." Not sure what's new here.. Play always came with strings attached. OEMs can choose Play or use AOSP and roll their own Play analogue like Meizu or Xiaomi or Amazon.

Correct me if I'm wrong. From 4.0 Play is mandatory if you want drivers. That's why Barnes and Noble had to put Play on their devices.

That's just incorrect as far as I know. It remains possible to support all drivers with an AOSP build.

B&N decided they wanted to "mainstream" their Android in terms of enabling it to be a "Google-logo" device. Probably a good choice if you haven't got the scale of Amazon's ecosystem.

Re: Google is defragging Android

#38

Post by cmircea »

kevingadd wrote: post #31
habosa wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Where has this changed? Google's apps are still built on top of the SDK. The only real change was the centralization of Google Play Services, but that doesn't change the level of OS access at all and 3rd-party developers can still tap in to these services.

Play Services having a custom updater and the ability to silently gain more permissions is definitely not something available to average 3rd party developers.

Both are available. Any app can request complete control over the system, at which point it can do whatever the hell it wants, short of root. Update? Sure thing, install an APK.

Of course the user has to accept your huge list of permissions first.

Re: Google is defragging Android

#39

Post by ceejayoz »

wicknicks wrote: post #21
GauntletWizard wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Three letters, a syllable, and sounding better to the technical crowd who understands the jargon (and, if you're outside that technical crowd, you won't understand "defragmenting" any better).

The video game community might misinterpret it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frag_%28video_gaming%29

That's exceedingly unlikely.

Re: Google is defragging Android

#40

Post by credo »

>>This is how you beat software fragmentation.

This does help defragment Android from a Google (developed) app perspective.

However, it doesn't do anything for 3rd-party developers. It doesn't do anything for regular consumers who wish to upgrade their 2.3.3 phones or 4.1 phones to the latest version of Android. So Google has a long way to go before they really defragment Android.

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