Android lovers, we have a problem. It seems that Google’s mobile OS, once heralded as being the “open platform” is starting to trend in the wrong direction.
It seems that for all of Google’s tough talk of Android being an open platform free from interference, it looks like at the end of the day the carriers have the last say.
After receiving a tip that Verizon may be blocking Wireless Tether from the market, I decided to do a little digging on the variety of devices I own. Â Sure enough, from all of my phones, including the Nexus S I have running on AT&T, I was unable to find Wireless Tether in the market. Â So to see what was really going on, I jumped into the browser-based Android Market to see if I could find the app and definitely did. Â But what you are seeing, is my list of devices, all of which cannot accept this app. (Droid Life)
Apparently wireless carriers were becoming upset that users were turning their phones into portable hotspots without their approval.
So now with Google’s help they are blocking (or in some cases censoring) tethering apps from being installed from the official Android Market.
While its understandable why carriers are charging customers for tethering, receiving assistance from Google is a far cry from what Android was designed to be (which was “open”).
If Google continues to allow carriers to dictate app policy, they could end up not only alienating their developer community, but also giving iOS developers one less reason to leave Steve Jobs walled garden.
Image Credit: IntoMobile
Originally posted on May 3, 2011 @ 12:32 pm
OMG, it will be threatening signs for android developers.
thanks for share!