The definition of open.

Here’s @arubin missing the point:

the definition of open: “mkdir android ; cd android ; repo init -u git://android.git.kernel.org/platform/manifest.git ; repo sync ; make”

Open isn’t about phone manufacturers. It isn’t about carriers. And it isn’t about software developers. It’s about customers. You know, the people who actually buy Android devices. And then have to struggle for months to upgrade their phones because the carriers provide no support and, to that end, neither does the manufacturer. Or Google.

That’s the result of the fragmentation Jobs was speaking about yesterday. I’ve seen this process unfold with everyone I know who has an Android phone that isn’t a Nexus One. This is a disaster. And it’s happening precisely because Google’s treating the carrier as their customer instead of the person who’s purchasing the phone. 

This is Android’s greatest stumbling block. When a user finds out their carrier won’t provide an upgrade for their Android phone but they can upgrade an iPhone in 10 minutes, Android is going to lose that customer. And what will the customer be thinking at that point? Android: the definition of closed.

4 Notes/ Hide

  1. smack416 posted this