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t.alex
After this move by Google, probably OEMs start thinking to look for alternative ...
KB3001
It makes sense for Google to want to control the way Honeycomb will be ...
Google's Android tablet delay angers OEMs
Rick Merritt
3/25/2011 1:28 PM EDT
SAN JOSE, Calif. – Google is for an unspecified time limiting the release of Honeycomb, the tablet version of Android, a move frustrating many mobile systems makers who want to compete with the Apple iPad. Google's move highlights the difficulties of a broad open source movement like Android to compete with a vertically integrated manufacturer like Apple.
"Google refused to give out any information about Honeycomb, and the end result was no one could deviate from the reference design," said a senior engineer with a large mobile systems maker in Taiwan.
"Android 3.0, Honeycomb, was designed from the ground up for devices with larger screen sizes and improves on Android favorites such as widgets, multi-tasking, browsing, notifications and customization," said a Google spokesman.
"While we’re excited to offer these new features to Android tablets, we have more work to do before we can deliver them to other device types including phones," the spokesman said. "Until then, we’ve decided not to release Honeycomb to open source," he said.
"We’re committed to providing Android as an open platform across many device types and will publish the source as soon as it’s ready," he added.
Google was quick to jump on the tablet phenomenon with Honeycomb, enabling Motorola to release a tablet in less than a year after Apple defined the new market with its original iPad. However, it is clearly struggling to find the balance of how to enable a broad industry of mobile systems makers without losing control of the quality of its code and the systems that use it.
At an Android developer conference earlier this month, two Google developers showed Honeycomb running on the Motorola Xoom tablet released in February. At that time they said Google had not decided when it would release the source code for Honeycomb, and they said Google plans to release a separate version of the code optimized for smartphones.
"Honeycomb is all about the tablet, but along the way we made a lot of general improvements in the user interface," said Chet Haase, a Google UI developer who showed the software to an audience of more than 400 at the conference in San Mateo, Calif.
Acer, Dell, HTC and Samsung are expected to roll out tablets using Honeycomb soon. Some systems engineers expressed frustration that the other tablets will be me-too devices with little differentiation.
If Google releases versions of Android every nine months, systems makers won't be able to get a return on their investment in developing new Android devices and Google could fragment the Android market, said Mario Morales, a lead semiconductor analyst for International Data Corp.
Google has not said when it will release an open source version of Honeycomb, the version of Android 3.0 tailored for tablets. The company is concerned some handset makers might try to use the tablet software in smartphones, said Andy Rubin, vice-president for engineering at Google and head of its Android group in an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek.
Rubin told Businessweek that if Google were to open-source the Honeycomb code now, as it has with other versions of Android at similar periods in their development, it couldn't prevent developers from putting the software on phones "and creating a really bad user experience. We have no idea if it will even work on phones," Rubin said.
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selinz
3/25/2011 3:33 PM EDT
This is crap, as far as I'm concerned. There's no good reason to limit honeycomb from phones. It's really an Apple-esque move. Certain phone/tablet hardware combos (Samsung Galaxy for example) are not really that different. Both should be able to run 3.0. Where's my picket sign?!
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Luis Sanchez
3/25/2011 4:37 PM EDT
Perhaps Google doesn't want Apple taking a look in to their source code... yet.
Perhaps Google has some good surprises upcoming in it's Honeycomb version.
It's a natural in any competition to be reluctant to show all cards early in the game.
It'll be open source all right... but not just yet.
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lifewingmate
3/30/2011 1:54 AM EDT
I agree with Luis. Google must have some reasons (waiting for Apple iPad 2 to iron out and getting feedback from the market) why it is not releasing Honeycomb. Business value is usually about "speed to market" yet open source means that everyone can cook in the kitchen. I am also cognisant of selinz's comments...UI design should consider dual functionality so that multiple devices can successfully run tablet-friendly programs. I'm sure the two borrow from each other. However, how is tablet design different from tablet PC? The lines are going to get blurred and at some point, interchangeability for speed to market will be needed.
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hm
3/25/2011 8:31 PM EDT
Is Google having apprehension of Android being open source? This is deviation from their promise. They should source code available ASAP.
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GREAT-Terry
3/25/2011 9:28 PM EDT
Having open source is good but will hardware compatibility be a problem? The model that Apple running can help to make a robust OS but still make game developer happy. Of course, not other gadget developers.
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LarryM99
3/26/2011 4:01 PM EDT
It is a tricky line that Google is walking. Exerting increased control over the OS decreases the chaos, but some degree of chaos is critical to the rapid pace of Android development. If they close it down too much then innovation will move to a different platform.
Larry M.
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t.alex
3/26/2011 8:23 PM EDT
Use the same OS for smartphone? It is up to the handset maker though.
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rick.merritt
3/27/2011 11:29 AM EDT
Microsoft went through similar struggles, often taking a new code base (ironically like Windows for Pen Computing) and piloting with a handful of OEMs to get the "expereince" fine tuned before a general release. I suspect Google may want to have a Honeycomb-for-smartphones ready before it releases this tablet version just so people don't go off on the wrong tangent.
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chanj
3/27/2011 1:08 PM EDT
Android is suffering some of the problems that Windows CE and Windows Mobile have been suffering. The catching up of device manufacturer to the release of new version is one. The compatibility of application to different version of OS is the second. One of the major stumbling block is the compatible of applications to different Android platform. Apple has consolidated 1 form factor, 1 screen resolution for the developers. Developers would have a much easier life in developing applications. The proliferation of the device will be much bigger.
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rick.merritt
3/27/2011 6:14 PM EDT
@chanj: Actually, despite the enormous hype and overblown public perception of Apple's market share, most market watchers expect the multi-company Android slice of the market will be significantly larger than the Apple slice which is still far behind Nokia and 1-2 others.
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mranderson
3/27/2011 8:57 PM EDT
I think Google has some surprises left and OEMs need to be patient least they kill the tablet market by rushing immature product to the market. For OEMs, their problem is they choose to play follow the leader with Apple rather than take some risk and innovate. Just because software is open source does not mean you cannot provide your own add-on features. A company that offers unique add-on software with their products can establish themselves as unique. As Rick implied, Apple only looks at the premium market because it markets itself strictly as a premium brand, but the general electronics market provides significantly more revenue.
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Duane Benson
3/27/2011 9:53 PM EDT
Corporate open source brings its own set of issues. With more conventional open source, the target audience tends to understand what they are getting into. They tend to be the sort that can evaluate an update, decide if it's necessary and take the steps to implement it. They also tend to be the types that can deal with update schedules all over the map, from frequent to sporadic.
In standard open source, the quality is only as good as the community supporting it. In general, the results are quite good, but still rarely polished enough for the masses. And therein lies the problem for corporate open source like Android.
Google obviously wants to deliver a product that is world-class in functionality and in useability. They want it to be secure and reliable and worthy of the Google name.
Once released into open source, a certain amount of the control that is needed to keep it a mass-appeal product can be lost. Either they're looking for a way to open source it and still keep enough of that control or they're deciding whether or not to even open source it.
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dirk.bruere
3/28/2011 2:13 PM EDT
I'm still waiting for Honeycomb on a Tablet at a price that doesn't make iPad2 look like a bargain
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Jeff.Petro
3/28/2011 3:28 PM EDT
I can only believe that this is a tactical strategy by Google to delay "showing their cards". I would fully suspect they have a couple of 'new features' not found in other smartphones. By delaying the release far enough into their competitors product cycle, it has the potential to put them ahead of their competitors for up to 18 months while the rest play catch up.
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Dave.Dykstra
3/29/2011 12:50 AM EDT
And, of course, there is the likelihood that iPad2 provided enough advancement that Honeycomb needs to be refined to attempt to catch up. The first one to market (especially when it is Apple) gets to set the target for the next guy who should be trying to do something better, whether technologically, pricing, or what.
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elctrnx_lyf
3/29/2011 1:22 PM EDT
I don't think Google is helping any tablet makers by actually delaying the release of Honeycomb. This could actually give HP and Blackberry to release their tablets with altogether different operating system and can eat the pie of delayed Android tablets.
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goafrit
3/29/2011 7:27 PM EDT
Google is Android-neutral. They are not playing any favor game.
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Sheetal.Pandey
3/31/2011 6:46 AM EDT
If once they have decided to put Android as open source, then why dont they want to put it open space now? Is it that Android is "THE" operating system for smartphones and other upcoming gadgets and keep the technology with them as far as they can..
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KB3001
4/6/2011 10:00 AM EDT
It makes sense for Google to want to control the way Honeycomb will be exploited. There ain't no such thing as a free lunch!
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t.alex
4/9/2011 4:09 AM EDT
After this move by Google, probably OEMs start thinking to look for alternative instead of solely depending on Google.
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