The Android mobile operating system’s promise of open, mobile computing is beginning to bear fruit with Android 2.0 and the free Google maps navigation application. If you are not familiar with Android, it is a mobile operating system running on the Linux kernel. In 2005, Google started sponsoring the development of this mobile, open operating system. In 2007, the Open Handset Alliance was formed and initiated sponsorship of Android. The Open Handset Alliance’s goal is to develop open standards for mobile devices.
Google Maps Navigation – A Game-Changer. The free Google Maps Navigation application for Android mobile phones is an internet-connected GPS navigation application with voice guidance. With Google’s announcement of the free Google Maps Navigation application for Android 2.0, the Android 2.0 operating system now becomes a serious contender in the mobile phone market.
Open Versus Permission-Based Mobile Application Access. It is no longer a forgone conclusion that Apple’s iPhone OS, OS X iPhone, will continue to be the dominant player in the mobile phone market. This is good news as an over-dominant, proprietary leader in any technology market can lead to permission-based access and innovation restrictions. An open, mobile operating system like Android encourages innovation, open access, choice and lower costs for mobile users and developers. See James Governor’s posting, Towards a Permission-based Web. Wherefore Net Neutrality? Or: Maybe Open Source Wins After All, for more on permission-based access versus open source for mobile computing.
Restrictions With Using Proprietary Mobile Technology. An open mobile operating system has many advantages over a proprietary system such as the iPhone.
- Proprietary Hardware and OS Can Restrict Key Functionality. As an example, iPhone has some weaknesses that may be hard to overcome such as a background-processing capability (i.e., the ability to run multiple third-party apps at once).
- Third Party Developer Restrictions. Due to the Apple and iPhone’s proprietary nature, third-party developers are restricted in being full partners in developing applications for iPhone versus an open systems environment.
- Communications Carrier Restrictions. As an example, iPhone has elected to partner with only one communications carrier, AT&T. This decision may be profitable to Apple short-term, but it is limiting iPhone innovation, service capabilities, and making the iPhone a more expensive.
See BetaNews posting, iPhone cannot win the smartphone wars for more on open versus proprietary smartphones. With an open OS such as Android, competition is opening up that will lead to more choices at least cost for mobile phone users. See Wired’s posting, Android Army Pumped for All-Out Attack on iPhone, for more information on handset competition.
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