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Google will develop Android OS behind closed doors starting next week

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Re: Google will develop Android OS behind closed doors starting next week

#21

I hope they make it closed source and make us much money out of it as possible for shareholders that is their job and their duty, why are they giving this away for free they have already captured market share by claiming opensource and building a community now all they have to do is make it proprietary and the old opensource version slowly wither and become unstable, then they can charge money for the operating syste…

It's a bit disturbing that that might be the plan though.

Re: Google will develop Android OS behind closed doors starting next week

#22
post #19
post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No OEM is interested in AOSP builds, because no one is going to buy an Android phone without Google Play Services, which is required for many popular apps to work (banking, games). There were some Chinese OEMs that ran an Android build and have unofficial ways to get Play Store working (Boox eReaders for example), but those are increasingly rare now, as years of sanctions has led to Huawei de-Googling itself fast, wi…

Kindle Fire? Your smart TV? Your car infotainment? Android is everywhere even without Google

Android TV is not AOSP, it is an Android variant actively developed by Google and requires Google Play Services.

Kindle Fire is based on AOSP, that was my mistake. I will say Amazon is a rare OEM in this regard; they're tablet-only, and happy with AOSP because they have their own app store that don't need Play Services integration.

Re: Google will develop Android OS behind closed doors starting next week

#23
post #21

I hope they make it closed source and make us much money out of it as possible for shareholders that is their job and their duty, why are they giving this away for free they have already captured market share by claiming opensource and building a community now all they have to do is make it proprietary and the old opensource version slowly wither and become unstable, then they can charge money for the operating syste…

It's a bit disturbing that that might be the plan though.

But they can already do that, because most people and apps (outside China and maybe some other regions) expect Google Play/Play Services to be present.

Re: Google will develop Android OS behind closed doors starting next week

#24
post #15

>This does not mean that Google is making Android a closed-source platform, but rather that the open-source aspect will only be released when a new branch is released to AOSP with those changes, including when new full versions or maintenance releases are finished. I'll believe it when I see it. These days, words are basically meaningless from these large tech companies. Actions are what matter. at the very least, I'…

The good thing is that at least the kernel and the VM/runtime need to be open source

the VM/runtime need to be open source

Isn't ART Apache 2-licensed? They don't have to provide the source. I don't see why they would completely close it though. It would lead to forks, plus they have a lot of control through Google Play Services etc. already.

Re: Google will develop Android OS behind closed doors starting next week

#27
post #16

>This does not mean that Google is making Android a closed-source platform, but rather that the open-source aspect will only be released when a new branch is released to AOSP with those changes, including when new full versions or maintenance releases are finished. I'll believe it when I see it. These days, words are basically meaningless from these large tech companies. Actions are what matter. at the very least, I'…

No OEM is interested in AOSP builds, because no one is going to buy an Android phone without Google Play Services, which is required for many popular apps to work (banking, games). There were some Chinese OEMs that ran an Android build and have unofficial ways to get Play Store working (Boox eReaders for example), but those are increasingly rare now, as years of sanctions has led to Huawei de-Googling itself fast, wi…

> Google Play Services, which is required for many popular apps to work

And here's where we need to apply antitrust pressure.

Re: Google will develop Android OS behind closed doors starting next week

#28
post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's a bit disturbing that that might be the plan though.

But they can already do that, because most people and apps (outside China and maybe some other regions) expect Google Play/Play Services to be present.

They're under antitrust scrutiny. You have to boil the frog slowly.

Re: Google will develop Android OS behind closed doors starting next week

#29
post #22
post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Kindle Fire? Your smart TV? Your car infotainment? Android is everywhere even without Google

Android TV is not AOSP, it is an Android variant actively developed by Google and requires Google Play Services. Kindle Fire is based on AOSP, that was my mistake. I will say Amazon is a rare OEM in this regard; they're tablet-only, and happy with AOSP because they have their own app store that don't need Play Services integration.

They are shutting their app store down, at least for non-first-party devices: https://www.androidpolice.com/amazon-android-app-store-shut-...
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