“For a long time, Google has led a largely blissful existence, fostering a widespread perception — sometimes in direct contradiction to the facts — that it can do no wrong. Yet the company’s controversial Android mobile platform venture threatens to seriously dent this notion, at least with some of the people it needs most,” John Edwards reports for Computerworld.
“As it readies its long-anticipated open mobile OS for public release, Google is behaving in a way that threatens to permanently taint its relationship with many Android developers. The company’s actions — including restricting access to key development tools and allegedly treading on open source principles — have created, if not a full-fledged revolt, at least a sense of disappointment and disillusionment among many in the tightly knit Android development community, which numbers perhaps 2,000, according to an estimate by AndroidGuys, an independent Android blog site. Some developers have threatened to shift their attention to other mobile platforms,” Edwards reports.
“Jack Gold, an independent technology analyst based in Northborough, Mass., believes that Google’s mobile game plan is “strategically flawed.” He notes that the company’s goals are contradictory: to create an open mobile platform, yet still be able to exercise control over the quality of Android applications. Gold believes that Google’s fundamental problem is that it has managed to put the cart before the horse,” Edwards reports.
“Whether or not Google made the right decision with its SDK release, the company could have hardly selected a worse time to tick off developers. With Apple’s iPhone 3G grabbing sales records and headlines, the recent news that Symbian is going open source, and the fact that Android remains months away from release, Google is facing the possibility that its platform may become nothing more than a follow-up act, lost in a sea of mobile OSes,” Edwards reports.
Full article here.
40 Comments
Reader Feedback
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Microsoft results top Wall Street targets; world’s most valuable company driven by AI investment
Microsoft beat Wall Street estimates for third-quarter revenue and profit on Thursday, driven by gains from adoption of AI…
Yes, the Gucci app for Apple Vision Pro is amazing
When Gucci published the “enhanced edition” of “Who is Sabato De Sarno? A Gucci Story” exclusively on the Apple Vision Pro spatial computer…
Apple Pencil 3 expected to deliver these new features
Apple Pencil 3 is expected to arrive soon and is anticipated to offer a number of new features, including a new…
Ex-NSA hacker, ex-Apple researcher launch ‘DoubleYou’ to protect Apple devices
An ex-NSA hacker and an ex-Apple researcher are launching “DoubleYou,” a startup that aims to help other makers of cybersecurity products…
Apple TV+ debuts trailer for ‘Hollywood Con Queen’ docuseries premiering May 8th
Apple on Thursday revealed the trailer for the explosive documentary series “Hollywood Con Queen,” which explores the shocking story…
Android is vaporware. From what I’ve reading, Android is nowhere near “months away from release”. Look for this puppy, if it ever makes it out the door, around 2010 or so.
No big surprise here. This is exactly how androids behave in the movies – they turn on their owners.
needs to make their focus office not phone
give office away ….. for free goog
Google needs to get their stuff together so Android can beat the crap out of Windows Mobile.
All talks and whining before a product release are not relevant
We heard the same when iPhone was still in developement.
Google should keep heading in the same direction, as Android is needed.
Yes, because that’s the missing piece for us to see Windows Mobile bleeds…
“We heard the same when iPhone was still in developement.”
FAIL.
Android is WAY earlier in development at announcement than iPhone was when it was announced.
Wow, the Edwards’ scandal has really taken its toll–now he’s a lowly reporter for Computerworld.
Rigth now, Android is just a “Linux mobile playground” and nothing more. The way I see it, you can play with different hardware configurations with no limitations, but I can not say we can develop a strong and popular iPhone competitor from there. Is like linux for PCs, is interesting to play with, but it is for geeks and I do not see it in a near future competing against Mac OS.
Wow. Running for V.P. or A.G one day, blogging for Computerworld the next.
How fast the mighty hath fallen…..
So close, R5D4.
So close….
To all Android developers: Get with the program and do iPhone.
You have a shot at making real money.
I really want android to succeed. I want them to help (along with Apple) eliminate windows mobile from the scene. And to give Apple some decent competition to help keep Apple sharp and on their toes.
I don’t believe Google is messing like this so badly. It should have been a home run for them. Keep it open source if your going open source. Don’t put a stranglehold of control on the thing…..its open source!
Plus, I still think I had a good idea that they should have released along with the orginal SDK a hardware spec for a revolutionary hardware component (flexible screen or something else) that handset makers could have licensed from them.
That would have helped spark some fire and enthusiasm for working on android. And also it would have eliminated or reduced the worry about multiple handsets and compatibility.
Bah, whatever.
Macromancer, I should say that your comment is the false one… no question.
Since some months ago, was shown to use an Android demonstration.
Only difference was that there were no event put together around that phone,
Therefore one could consider Android not that far behind where was the iPhone.
Okay wait wait!!! Let me see if I can predict what the MDN Take will be.
Okay… something about Windows Mobile… or maybe a chair flying across a room…
D’oooh! I got it wrong again.
Second point: Nice to see the author of the article, John Edwards found a new line of work. I was worried about him after that bru-ha-ha last week with Rielle Hunter
Olternaut, that reminds me of something I was told a long time time ago, which was “put some salve on them open source”.
Me being a timid teenager, all I could say was “Grandma, I’m in the shower!”
But now I know what she meant.
Now I know…..
“Macromancer, I should say that your comment is the false one… no question.”
What part of the working fully functional product in Steve’s hand did you miss at the Macworld announcement?
“Therefore one could consider Android not that far behind where was the iPhone.”
One COULD consider that, if that person happened to be both delusional AND insane.
Olternaut said:
“… I want them to help (along with Apple) eliminate windows mobile from the scene…”
My friend, I really don’t understand why.
Is that the only thing they should try?
Steve Jobs once said: “For Apple to succeed, MS doesn’t have to lose”
And after he added that: “For MS to succeed, Apple doesn’t have to lose”
We’re living in a global environment where competition is the drive of innovation.
Kill Microsoft and I guarantee you that for Apple it’ll also mean termination.
I hope Google Android is successful. iPhone & Android will be great leading platforms
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”grin” style=”border:0;” />
Macromancer, I remember we saw Android working on a phone.
And that demonstration wasn’t that different of the iPhone one.
I can understand their solution is not ready or whatever else… but it’s surely no vaporware.
Prototype might be ready, but they need more time to wrap up all works on the software..
I think Brew-ha-ha would be a good name for a bar.
What can I say, but I wish the best for Google and Android, and hope that they will be more of an open source option but they’ve got to do what they’ve got to do. I imagine that they don’t have a set hardware to work from, so this is a wide target (sort of like Windows has with the different PC hardware) and this is what takes a lot longer than the iPhone and it’s OS.
Say what you want about Apple’s success with the iPhone, but there are also a lot of restrictions with it. It’s always good to have options, and competition is great! So keep hacking the code Google. Best of luck.
They announced Android and provided an SDK way, way too early. Considering where Android is in the development process right now, we shouldn’t even know it exists yet, let alone have a buggy, confusing, frustrating, barely usable SDK to dick around with. Google needs to learn from Apple and hold their cards a little closer to their chest until they’re ready to call.
I still don’t see how an open source mobile OS can work.
1. I’ll believe it, when it see it—that is, Telco’s allowing whatever open source software the consumers desire. Witness the NetShare debacle.
2. Too many variables with battery life, screen size, memory, processor power, etc.
3. Developing a portable computing device—hardware & OS & software—is not something you get done in your garage. Goggle needs a major hardware player to bust out some cash, i.e. Sony, Samsung, Intel. (Of course, they will be hesitant to do this, because they have no guarantee that the telcos will allow people to use it.)
I’d love to see some competition in this space but I’m pretty sure Apple will steamroll everyone over the next 10 years.
To MDN,
Get your own opinions.