Oh Hai Thar

[eric]

[Gus]

Yeah I think that was the mistake they made. People should be thinking of their phone as just a Samsung phone or an HTC phone, not an Android phone. The perception should be that the phones "tie in" with Google services, not that the phone itself is actually a Google product. That's how Google tries to frame it, but it's difficult because it's much easier for the various manufacturers to "tie in" with Google if they all run similar operating systems, which was the whole point of Android in the first place...a common platform which manufacturers could build on and still tie in to the Google ecosystem. Google has to provide that common platform while making it clear to the consumer that they don't have a Google or Android phone, but a Samsung/HTC/whatever phone.

Google doesn't have control over it by design, and it's a good model for them. They want the manufacturers to deal with the end users...they just need the data so they can sell it to advertisers. The Android brand shouldn't exist, it should be a ghost that only techies know about. It seems like Google recognizes this and is trying to shift the focus onto other brands (e.g. Nexus).

[eric]

"they just need the data so they can sell it to advertisers."

Which is a whole 'nother problem. People are beginning to get angry about being cut out of this, and just having companies sell their data to whoever they want. NSA, etc....

And that's why I think Google needs to reign in Android. Or they're going to be sitting in a bad spot for the future.

[gla22]

I am with eric where I think it is smart for google to be making hardware as well. When you have hardware and software designed and working together you have better products and a better UI even if hardware margins are low. Apple still beast google in UI which is why its overpriced devices still have significant market share.