There's a bit of a story going on between Google, Acer, and Alibaba, a Chinese mobile operating system vendor. Acer wanted to ship a device with Alibaba's operating system, but Google asked them not to, and Acer complied. The reason is that Acer is a member of the Open Handset Alliance, which prohibits the promotion of non-standard Android implementations - exactly what Alibaba is shipping. On top of that, Alibaba's application store hosts pirated Android applications, including ones from Google.
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Member since:2011-04-25
Except we don't have the contract or independent verification that OHA membership is predicated on not using Android code in non-Android OSes and/or not using Android-app compatibility unless in 100% form and/or not hosting pirated apps in competing stores and/or... whatever other excuses Rubin has used.
We know they need to comply with Google's Android compatibility compliance when producing Android phones, but we've never had our eyes on an OHA agreement. Moreover, we can demonstrate that Lenovo has been violating such an agreement for as much as 3 years if it does exist (and depending on when they joined the OHA). And further evidence of another OHA member doing the same thing as Acer.
Here's the vagueries we actually get from Google directly:
"What have members of the Alliance committed to?
All members of the Alliance have committed to making the initial version of the platform a commercial success. Some companies have contributed significant intellectual property to the Alliance that will be released under the Apache v2 Open Source license. Others are working to make sure their chipsets support the platform. Handset manufacturers and mobile operators are working to develop handsets based on the platform. Commercialization partners are working with the industry to support the platform via a professional services model."
http://www.openhandsetalliance.com/oha_faq.html
Didn't see them mention much in terms of commitments beyond "to making the initial version of the platform a commercial success" -- which apparently every member besides Samsung seems to be failing to fulfill.
Member since:2009-05-19
We don't have independent verification of the contract(and likely will never have), but we have facts(nasty buggers)
A) Allyun is an Android incomaptible, yet "compatible" OS
B) Acer was making their device with that OS
C) Acer cancelled the launch of that device when Google said something to acer
D) Acer is in OHA
Which one would contradict that Acer and Google have a contract that has anti-fragmentation clauses? Or new anti-fragmentation clauses that were added a year back.(Remember that?)
Or are you just trying to rationalize your stance on something?
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Yahoo is acquiring Tumblr, the microblogging and social networking website, for $1.1 billion USD. Tumblr offers little revenue but lots of eyeballs if Yahoo can monetarize them. Now Yahoo is bidding for Hulu, the streaming video service. After years of ineffective responses while Google, Facebook, and others took large chunks of the online advertising market, Yahoo is fighting back. Can Yahoo reignite the momentum it had at the turn of the century? What do you think?
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Member since:
2009-05-19
Alibaba is the bystander here. Acer was breaking their OHA contractual obligations. Simple as that.
Google said that they have to adhere to the contract or the contract is terminated.
All tehy are saying is that Allyun is not compatible and that contradicts the OHA contract. Acer is free to go all Amazon.