> Before Android came along that business was at the mercy of Apple (in the mobile space anyway). Android has existed for the entire time mobile advertising wa

> Before Android came along that business was at the mercy of Apple (in the mobile space anyway). Android has existed for the entire time mobile advertising was becoming huge. The iPhone was a big innovation, but in its first year it wasn't nearly the mass market device it is now, and its impact on mobile advertising at the time should not be overstated. Mobile and mobile advertising only started becoming really big in 2010. I don't think Android was built with the specific goal to directly put Google's services into people's hands. I believe Android was built and released as free to be used by anyone to create an easy-to-use platform for any vendor with very capable connectivity features. It was hoped that this would increase use of Google's services on mobile, not because Google was forced into the market, but because people would have devices capable of web services in general. Android seems to be made with a goal of making a market, not taking a market. That is why there is this diverse market for Android, and that's why all those associated problems exist. Its strategy also directly made possible this Fire Phone.