18 Android Phones, In 3 Flavors, By Year's End

Hugh Pickens writes "Andy Rubin, senior director for Mobile Platforms for Google, has announced that by the end of the year there will be 18 to 20 phones using the Android OS made by 8 or 9 different manufacturers. Google will offer three different versions of Android OS: a completely free and generic flavor with no pre-loaded Google applications; a slightly customized version that comes pre-loaded with Google apps like Gmail and Google Calendar; and a completely 'Google-fied' Android OS bearing all sorts of Google branding and integration with Google's services. Will Park reports that the expectation is that 12 to 14 of the upcoming Android phones will use the slightly-customized version of Google's Android OS requiring the manufacturer to agree to a distribution deal with Google that would allow the handsets to come pre-installed with Google-ware. The remaining 5 or 6 Android phones will come to market completely decked out with 'The Google Experience' and a Google logo on the phone. This third option provides risk and reward opportunities because the openness of the store could be a hit with consumers, but could also lead to poorly constructed or offensive applications that could give Google a taint. When it comes to apps, Rubin says: 'We want to abide by the law, but not rule with an open fist.'" Yes, it seems he really said "open fist," though he probably meant "iron fist."

Comments

Android is terrible

[Coward Anonymous]

I've had an iPhone for nearly a year now and I've recently gotten my hands on an Android device.
Android has an amateurish summer project feel to it when compared to the polished iPhone OS. You can argue the technical merits of an open platform and hackability till you are blue in the face. It doesn't change the fact that Android is like the Linux desktop experience compared to the Windows or Mac desktop experience - it's an experience only a geek could love simply because he's willing to overlook the warts and horrendous usability because he can tinker.
Most people don't care about the underpinnings of the device. They want it to work well, be easy to use and be shiny. The Android OS offers none of that.
The big difference between Apple of today and the Apple that lost against Microsoft is price. Apple's handheld devices are very aggressively priced and it is Apple that is setting the price for the entire market.
Android does not have the merits and it does not have the price advantage to compete.
Unless google starts drastically improving it, Android is as good as dead.