Is a closed source Android possible?

[salmanahmad]

Not that I want a closed source Android, but given how there is now quite a bit of stuff by Google that is closed source such as Play Services (or so, I've heard), is there anything preventing Google from making Android completely closed source similar to iOS and Windows Phone?

 

[Crashdamage]

The basic Android OS will always be open source. Once software is made open source you can't take it back.

Android since v1.0. Linux user since 2001.

 

[Alex Wetzel]

Android is open source with closed source components like Google's app suite.

 

[gone down south]

AOSP is completely open source. Google's commercially released version of Android (aka Nexus) and most 3rd party versions contain a lot of closed complements built on top of it.

 

[salmanahmad]

The basic Android OS will always be open source. Once software is made open source you can't take it back.

Android since v1.0. Linux user since 2001.

Is there any law that prevents this from happening?

Android is open source with closed source components like Google's app suite.

I know.

AOSP is completely open source. Google's commercially released version of Android (aka Nexus) and most 3rd party versions contain a lot of closed complements built on top of it.

Thanks, but I know AOSP is open source. I am asking if the project could be closed down one day, has something like this happened in the past?

 

[Crashdamage]

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open-source_license

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_(operating_system)

Android since v1.0. Linux user since 2001.

 

[gone down south]

If it gets closed down, someone else will pick it up and keep it going.

 

[Crashdamage]

Android has over 80% of the worldwide market. It,'s about as likely to shut down as food and water.

Android since v1.0. Linux user since 2001.

 

[gone down south]

I feel like you're trying to ask a very specific question, bit for some reason it's not coming out right.