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Differentiating with a truly open market for all content (including software) without an approval process is smart, and consistent with Google philosophy.
Just as Google doesn't approve web pages before they are indexed, but do deal with spam aggressively, I would assume they'll have good ways bubble the best content to the top.
Tying it to Google Checkout would also be a bright move, and might even set up to compete with iTunes.
Bill Scott
VP Sales & Business Development
GetJar
one can hardly argue that Android is copying the Iphone in any way. The Android project has been around since 2004 and it has different objectives. As to the Google-Apple relationship, from what I hear, Google sees the Iphone very positively. Google's interest is in the mobile web and an "open" eco system and Apple's overall a good influence in that regard.
I don't think you can argue that Android is getting a lot of positive blog buzz from minor +1's of the iPhone. Take the Android Market for example: It is a free, open version of the App Store. (Good for developers, but the user will likely see little difference between the two. An "open" market is good for cheap development entry, but there are already a plethora of crappy iPhone apps even with the $99 entry fee.)
I agree that Android has "different objectives", but certainly Android is competing directly with iPhone OS and therefore the iPhone as a device. Right now that competition is to attract more non mobile web subscribers, but in a few years, they will be head-to-head as cell contracts expire that started in this big smartphone push.
appreciate the discussion. I agree with you that one can not argue that Android is getting a lot of positive blug buzz. I also agree with you that it remains to be seen if an "open" app store will be more effective than a more "closed" one. However, I tend to disagree on the competition issue between Android and the Iphone OS. I rather think that for Google this competition does not exist, though it probably exists for Apple.
For Google, I guess, what they envision you is your mobile browser to behave like an advanced desktop browser. Here's Google Gears relevance, particularly for mobile. Gears is not limited to any mobile phone or OS. For example it's available as an add-on for Safari. Even without Gears, at Google they love the usage patterns the Iphone produces. In monetisation terms, their eye is on mobile marketing, which is connected to those patterns.
Apple, on the other hand, I believe looks at Android as a competing OS. Their monetisation is connected to a mobile device. As the Iphone OS is inferior in many important ways (that's my opinion, at least) I definitely see some reactionary moves on Android from Apple down the line.
Bottom line, though, is that both initiatives will have their success, according to their own set of success criteria.
I'm wondering how you feel "the Iphone OS is inferior in many important ways".
Just curious
The short one is that if these explanations are correct (http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=12797), then Chris (http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/08/29/there-...) is right on spot saying "This all sounds plausible, we guess, but if 2.0 and 2.0.1 were really screwing with base stations that badly, wouldn't owners of other 3G phones be affected equally?" If Iphones are jamming cell towers for all 3G phones, like the report says, then the widely reported Iphone performance problems are really due to software and in more detail, the OS. If this report is correct, then Apple has all reasons to be ashamed. Mind you, I'm cautious about this report and I assume that AT&T, Apple & Co keep us in the dark. I don't expect any of that to happen wit Android, though.
You'll get a longer answer in a post on Monday/Tuesday. Still writing on that one, sorry.
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