Should Google Shut Down?

[TechTinker]

Now that I got your attention.

We all know Google/Android as wonderfully open source (well more so than others). But should Google close down more, for the sake of security, updates, bloatware? A few points Android gets hurt on. True Samsung can update right away, but they want their skin, and yes we have the nexus devices but their not the ones that get looked at when most people judge android.

Should google be more enforce with what devices can use android (cheap chinese devices, maybe get rid of pointless low end releases), stand up to carriers, control oems and their software more?

 

[Aquila]

Some days it'd be nice, but most I like their current approach much better.

 

[jbardi]

Are you kidding me? Yeah, let's ask Google to control Android like Apple does iOS, but we'll still call it open source so we can say we are better. You may not like the low end devices or Chinese crap, but that is the nature of the beast. The point of open source is that it is NOT strictly controlled, but in the end, the benefits of openness out weighs the garbage that people serve it up on. I am sure you want to do what you want with your device without restriction from Google, such as rooting it, side loading apps or tweaking it to the point its no longer stable, but you want google to restrict the other guy because you don't like what he is doing with it? Your arrogance astounds me.

 

[Jlav78]

I'm ok with the current way it works, buy GPE unlocked or nexus devices unlocked and you'll get the update quickly

Posted via Android central app on my LG Google Nexus 4

 

[TechTinker]

Are you kidding me? Yeah, let's ask Google to control Android like Apple does iOS, but we'll still call it open source so we can say we are better. You may not like the low end devices or Chinese crap, but that is the nature of the beast. The point of open source is that it is NOT strictly controlled, but in the end, the benefits of openness out weighs the garbage that people serve it up on. I am sure you want to do what you want with your device without restriction from Google, such as rooting it, side loading apps or tweaking it to the point its no longer stable, but you want google to restrict the other guy because you don't like what he is doing with it? Your arrogance astounds me.

Whew. And no I'm not saying like how iOS is. I love rooting, side loading and everything (though some of that stuff does account to more malware.) And just to tell, AOSP is open source, but the Android we use (Maps, Play store, location, push notifications, in app purchases, music, nearly everything that makes android usuable is closed source. And Google does control OEMS and what they can do with Android, if a company does something google does not like, google can take away their permision to use any of their services. This makes a issue with many forks of Android (acer almost got kicked out), and Amazon has to create its own alternatives. Googles keeping the AOSP versions available but all its new stuff is closed source. It was all open at the start, but as it got popular, Google has been closing and griping android more than ever. And I mean do we need 20 Galaxy devices in a year? And I dont care about the other forks like chinese much.

 

[chadthebuilder]

I think the current model works fine for Google. Google makes money on Android and iOS. End of story. Why would Google benefit from controlling Android like Apple does iOS? Google makes just as much money from the cheap $50 tablet at your local Walmart, as they do from the $600 flagship phone. That is because they are first and foremost, an advertising company. That is their major source of revenue, and Android is a way for Google to expand who can see its ads and services. It wouldn't benefit Google to tightly control Android and build only premium devices. It would just make people mad at Google, and possibly make them lose money in the long run.

Posted from the awesome new Nexus 7

 

[Algus]

I wouldn't mind if Google adopted the Chrome model for everything. We have the open source base Chromium and the Google-signed Chrome. Granted with Chrome OS you can't just go buy a Chromium device.

In general though, I am pleased by Android's open-source base. It may not come off as polished as iOS but it has features iOS doesn't have either.

Sent from my Galaxy Note 3 using Tapatalk 4

 

[ACADM]

I think it would benefit the end users if Google did stand up to phone networks a bit more, especially the ones in the U.S. who seem to get away with all kinds of nonsense; logos on phones, bloatware, slow updates, and so on. Apple managed to get them to behave when it comes to the iPhone, I just hope Google are putting pressure on them in the same way and hope in the future that Android mobile devices will be treated with the same respect as their beloved iPhone.

 

[Golfdriver97]

I hope the pressure is mounting from Google. For example, I just got the Moto X. As for bloatware, I had very little. A few Sprint apps, a few Moto apps, the obvious Google, and I think Bacon reader. That is about it.

 

[Pollster]

Android is open source, Google is decidedly Not.
Google’s iron grip on Android: Controlling open source by any means necessary | Ars Technica

 

[anon(847090)]

I hope the pressure is mounting from Google. For example, I just got the Moto X. As for bloatware, I had very little. A few Sprint apps, a few Moto apps, the obvious Google, and I think Bacon reader. That is about it.

Moto X is a classic example of how google want OEM to build Android devices.

it eliminates
1. Bloatware skins like touchwiz
2. minimal Motorola bloatware and replaced most with standard Google apps
(Samsung is the worst offender, there are multiple apps in sammy phone which pretty much does the same thing)
3. minimal carrier bloatware(ATT & T-Mobile has minumum bloats but verizon is still a problem)
Google/Motorola could do better than this. they could add links on the Home screen to playstore for all these bloat apps
and if user wants those apps let them download it and the rest can be removed and its clean

 

[tr-1]

Moto X is a classic example of how google want OEM to build Android devices.

it eliminates
1. Bloatware skins like touchwiz
2. minimal Motorola bloatware and replaced most with standard Google apps
(Samsung is the worst offender, there are multiple apps in sammy phone which pretty much does the same thing)
3. minimal carrier bloatware(ATT & T-Mobile has minumum bloats but verizon is still a problem)
Google/Motorola could do better than this. they could add links on the Home screen to playstore for all these bloat apps
and if user wants those apps let them download it and the rest can be removed and its clean

I agree but unfortunately Google doesn't have leverage to keep carriers from loading bloat. Verizon cannot do it to iPhone because they can't **** off Apple (iPhone is 50% of sales).
Google's Droid line is basically owned by Verizon so they can do whatever. Moto X NEEDS Verizon to expand sales. Verizon couldn't care less if Moto X is not on the store shelf.

It's sad but true.

 

[Haalcyon]

I think Google's current approach is just fine. I like the choices I have with Android. I can get a pure device (Nexus), a semi pure device (Moto X), or a feature rich device (S4, Note3, One, etc.). The bottom line is that I get to make the choice.

from a Note 3

 

[Fairclough]

Semi pure makes the Moto X sound like a love child.

 

[techydavid]

Moto X is a classic example of how google want OEM to build Android devices.

it eliminates
1. Bloatware skins like touchwiz
2. minimal Motorola bloatware and replaced most with standard Google apps
(Samsung is the worst offender, there are multiple apps in sammy phone which pretty much does the same thing)
3. minimal carrier bloatware(ATT & T-Mobile has minumum bloats but verizon is still a problem)
Google/Motorola could do better than this. they could add links on the Home screen to playstore for all these bloat apps
and if user wants those apps let them download it and the rest can be removed and its clean

Sooooooooo true. I have 38 bloat apps on my galaxy tab 2.

Posted via my weird GT-P3113

 

[techydavid]

Sooooooooo true. I have 38 bloat apps on my galaxy tab 2.

Posted via my weird GT-P3113

And it's not the carrier edition. STOP THE MADNESS GOOGLE

Posted via my weird GT-P3113

 

[techydavid]

And it's not the carrier edition. STOP THE MADNESS GOOGLE

Posted via my weird GT-P3113

And I didn't even mention the hundreds more from Samsung laziness like s note, phone, SMS, etc.

Posted via my weird GT-P3113