Android Will Not Open Source Anymore?
In a presentation at the Global Partner Conference, CEO for Hewlett-Packard Meg Whitman expressed her opinion about the chain impact in the world of mobile devices from Motorola’s acquisition process by Google. iOS from Apple is closed for another party, but who became Whitman’s concern is Google likely will change the concept of openness that they employ as they soon have its own hardware manufacturer. And this would signify the importance of the role of Open webOS, given the mobile OS is very likely to be the only option for some parties.
Whitman then went on, calling Apple as a platform that is being ‘on fire’, but she tends to call Android as a fragmented platform. The impact of possible Android policy changes on Hewlett-Packard may be valid for 2-5 years.
Google may soon be denied the ‘allegations’ of Whitman, though they themselves have implicitly convey the opposite message about the amount of integration between hardware and software they need. Google actually wants to use as protection for Motorola over patent issues, but their chairman Eric Schmidt gave a signal about the intention to plunge into the hardware business. Moreover Google has recently also hired former Apple employee who specialized in hardware problem, and this indicates Google wants to take direct control of Motorola’s roadmap.
Although Google is often expressed about their openness, but many people turned out to criticize and accuse the other hand they are too picky. They hold the source code for Android 3 with the claim that the OS is not ready, and keep some code from the Android version that have been released so far from the reach of developers. Third-party developers also can contribute to a specific code to be used in the Android version of the main, this makes Google be the only party who can dictate what the latest features that can be presented.
Although they eventually chose to stay to make Android as open source, Google clearly will prioritize the production of Motorola cell phones to issue updates as well as various other privileges.
Will this prediction will become reality in the near future?