Google has updated their Google Mobile Services agreement for Android phones, adding the new mandate that each device must have a bootup logo that states "Powered by Android."
The new logo has its own guidelines, as well, and must be present for devices to keep their access to the Google Play Store and other Google services.
This new move certainly makes sense for Google. Google is ... [ read the full article ]
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Kinda kick in the groin for Samsung, who has quite nicely made its Galaxy a synonym for its smartphones. That strategy has always kept the door open for Samsung to switch its entire smartphone line to use some other OS (say, Tizen) if Google would ever start to squeeze the manufacturers too tightly.
Then again, now that Moto is off Google's hands, Samsung is probably much less worried about its partnership with Google..
I don't think Samsung really want to start fighting Google on things like this when they already have a nice legal back and forth going with Apple.
They needn't worry either, I shouldn't think. One has to assume that Samsung plans to move away from Android favouring an in-house OS at some point, and perhaps now that will come sooner rather than later, but I'm sure they can suck it up for a while.
Originally posted by Ripper: One has to assume that Samsung plans to move away from Android favouring an in-house OS at some point, and perhaps now that will come sooner rather than later, but I'm sure they can suck it up for a while.
I think those plans were quite strong only few months ago, but now that Google saw the light and decided to sell its Motorola unit, IMHO Samsung is much more comfortable to co-operate with Google. Previously, there was always the untold thread of Google deciding to favor Motorola over other manufacturers.
True, and even if they hit-and-run on patents, I suppose the impact from their Nexus line isn't great enough for Samsung to be concerned about whichever manufacturer is currently producing it.
