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Google Targets Android Fragmentation With Updated Terms For SDK
SternisheFan writes "Google has expanded its legal agreement with developers working on Android applications to specifically prohibit them from taking any action that could lead to a fragmentation of the operating system. The prohibition was added to the terms and conditions for Google's Android SDK (software development kit), which developers must accept before using the software to build Android apps. The previous version of the terms of service, published in April 2009, didn't address the issue, but the new terms published on Tuesday include this new paragraph: 'You agree that you will not take any actions that may cause or result in the fragmentation of Android, including but not limited to distributing, participating in the creation of, or promoting in any way a software development kit derived from the SDK.' Google did not respond to several requests for comment. The issue of Android fragmentation has been gaining increased attention, but it's happened largely as a result of actions taken by Google and Android handset makers, not developers. It's a problem because it means that Android applications may not run properly across all Android devices. 'It continues to be a problem, both on smartphones and tablets,' said Avi Greengart, research director at Consumer Devices. 'Google has talked about multiple initiatives for dealing with it, but none of them have successfully addressed it.'"
I completely disagree. Carriers are actively customer hostile entities. Everything they touch becomes worse for the end user. The apple phone experience was so good because they didn't let the carriers have their way. It's why Verizon turned down apple for so long. It took Steve Job's massive reality distorting balls to to convince At&t to try it their way. Bam. Smart phone boom.
Just look at Europe, where the GSM standard mandated interoperability. Customers were free to use whatever device they wanted just by slipping in a sim, and they picked devices that weren't carrier crippled. The mobile market there boomed while it stagnated in the US with our carrier-oriented market.
Now we've got devices with a higher degree of consumer control (Yes, apple's walled garden isn't "open" but it's 1000's of times better than anything verizon ever attempted) and the market is huge.