Best article on the Google/Skyhook lawsuit

[mosco]

http://thisismynext.com/2011/05/12/google-android-skyhook-lawsuit-motorola-samsung/

Just read this article through, and I think it highlights exactly the difference between "open" and "open source".

I am not a lawyer so I am not going to comment on the legality part, but I think its pretty obvious that google controls everything. Android isn't open, it's just more open then iOS. They both have their gotchas.

 

[theeedude]

http://thisismynext.com/2011/05/12/google-android-skyhook-lawsuit-motorola-samsung/

Just read this article through, and I think it highlights exactly the difference between "open" and "open source".

I am not a lawyer so I am not going to comment on the legality part, but I think its pretty obvious that google controls everything. Android isn't open, it's just more open then iOS. They both have their gotchas.

Android OS is open. You are free to take it and use it without Google's certification.
Google's Apps and Google's Android Market aren't open, and Google never claimed they were. They regulate access to those to devices that are Google certified, as is their right.

 

[mosco]

Android OS is open. You are free to take it and use it without Google's certification.
Google's Apps and Google's Android Market aren't open, and Google never claimed they were. They regulate access to those to devices that are Google certified, as is their right.

I didn't say it wasn't their right, but can a device be popular without access to the android market? Maybe if there was another market, like the amazon market and a company wanted to work with amazon to build a amazon market based device. It sounds like you couldn't build a tablet with amazon, and then a phone with google apps?

Samsung’s amended license prohibits it from doing anything “that may cause or result in the fragmentation of Android,” including creating any SDKs that are based on Android or assisting any third parties in developing an SDK based on Android. What’s more, Samsung’s agreement also requires that the company only distribute Google-approved Android hardware and only distribute software on Google-approved devices. We don’t know if Samsung’s current agreement includes a similar clause, but those whispers of Samsung building Amazon’s rumored tablet are certainly implicated if it does.

 

[Pliablemoose]

Nilay nailed it, that's a great article.

Wrap-up

So what does all this mean? At the very least, it’s now extremely clear that Google plays a major role in Android device development, to the point where Andy Rubin himself approves and denies requests from OEMs. It’s also clear that Google places tremendous value on collecting location data, and it acted swiftly when it determined Skyhook’s deal with Motorola might threaten its ability to collect that data. Hell, one of the headings in Google’s summary judgment brief is “Skyhook was not entitled to deprive Google of its contractual right to collect location data on Motorola Android devices.” Can’t say it much plainer than that, really. And Google’s doesn’t hesitate to use its muscle to get what it wants from OEMs — it revised Samsung’s app license to specifically require Google location services be installed and used by default. Whether or not Google’s behavior is anti-competitive is a matter for the court to decide, but it’s definitely aggressive.

 

[theeedude]

I didn't say it wasn't their right,

If it's their right, then everything else aside, they shouldn't be sued for exercising it

but can a device be popular without access to the android market?

Not Google's problem.

Maybe if there was another market, like the amazon market and a company wanted to work with amazon to build a amazon market based device. It sounds like you couldn't build a tablet with amazon, and then a phone with google apps?

It's Google's decision. They don't have to give access to their app store to anyone they don't want to give access to it. They may take a decision by a manufacturer to take their OS code, which they are nice enough to provide for free, and replace their cloud services (their way to monetize that code they are giving away) with a competitor's as an unfriendly act, and not want to deal with your company on other projects. It's their right.

 

[Pliablemoose]

Honestly, Amazon's market makes some really good sense...

Android is mature enough, that the versions with released source code are pretty decent, a manufacturer can go with non Google apps now.

It may get real interesting very soon.

 

[s44]

And now we know why Galaxy S GPS software just didn't work until fall firmware revisions.

(Yes, some have had hardware issues even after with the previously untested Broadcom chip, but GPS largely works since fall and largely didn't work before. Thanks, Andy Rubin!)