Google and 33 other companies have announced an ambitious industry alliance that will maintain a completely open source mobile phone stack. The Open Handset Alliance says phones based on its Linux-based 'Android' stack will reach market in as soon as eight months. The Android stack is based on 'open Linux kernel', the group says. It also includes a full set of mobile phone application software, in order to "significantly lower the cost of developing and distributing mobile devices and services", OHA said.
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Member since:2005-11-23
Member since:2006-01-06
Member since:2005-07-06
Apple HAD to partner with AT&T?
Puhlease... You don't think that if Apple created the iPhone as a pure GSM phone with a SIM card slot, and then sold it without a specific cell company contract that people wouldn't buy it? And, are you telling me that none of the cell companies would accept the millions of new customers just because the phone isn't an exclusive to them? People would FLOCK to the company that wanted the customers, which would be all the GSM ones (look at the ones that accept iPhone customers that have unlocked their phones).
Maybe you're right... I mean, depending on what they were trying to do, partnering exclusively with AT&T was required (If they were trying to lock-in people to no third party software, and get a huge kickback from AT&T from the contracts.).
Apple was in probably the best position of any company to be the one to break the mold, but instead they showed their true colors. Google is probably the next best positioned company, but they're not a hardware company with a huge following of loyal consumers that are already locked in to their products (see: iPod and iTunes).
Disclaimer: I can't stand apologists of any company.
Oh, and though I disagree with you, I modded you up because it appears some people are trying to silence you because they disagree... That's never an intelligent action.
Edited 2007-11-10 00:57
Member since:
2006-01-06
I've gotta applaud your enthusiasm and desire to open up the phone stack; HOWEVER, let me be the first one to tell you that you're wasting your time. In order to get any significant distribution, you have to do a deal with the major mobile telcos. Apple found out the hard way. It had to partner with AT&T in order to sell its iPhones. AT&T forced Apple into greatly crimping the openness of the iPhone architecture, and the reason is simple: The mobile telcos want to own a piece of the entire mobile ecosystem (the packet networks, the protocols, the applications, the ringtones, the wallpaper, everything. They don't want to open up the entire architecture and become marginalized like Internet ISPs. Why? Because Internet ISPs are nothing more than cables, routers, and switches. They don't add any more value than that. They don't own a piece of the commerce that flows over their cables. But mobile telcos DO. Unlike ISPs, they get paid by the minute. And they're NOT going to be willing to open up the phone architecture and allow themselves to be pushed aside like ISPs.
So, in summary, it's a noble effort but, ultimately, it's doomed to obsolescence unless you change the fundamental way that wireless phone networks are administered. Don't expect mobile telcos to cooperate, either. They would be slitting their own throats by embracing any of this -- don't kid yourself -- and they know it.
[TO THE folks who mod down this post simply on the basis that you disagree with its contents: You're small, petty dorks -- and you will always be small, petty dorks]
Edited 2007-11-06 20:53 UTC