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1) I doubt that a Google-distributed phone would eclipse the phones distributed by carriers, at least in the US (because of the subsidy model). With new Androi
by mbrubeck 17y ago
1) I doubt that a Google-distributed phone would eclipse the phones distributed by carriers, at least in the US (because of the subsidy model). With new Android tablets, netbooks, phones, and more esoteric devices being released every month, I think a single handset model sold by Google and probably without much marketing (it's against Google's DNA to run television ads, for example) will be just a drop in the bucket.
2) Some of this is already an issue (and already partly addressed). Android handset makers have the option of branding their phones with the Google trademark (like the "T-Mobile G1 with Google"). If they do, then they get to distribute Google's proprietary apps (GMail, Maps, Google Calendar/Contacts sync, etc.) but they also have to agree not to change certain parts of the user experience (e.g. can't restrict access to the Android Market).
My parents already call my G1 "the gPhone" but as dozens of Android handsets come out from every carrier and manufacturer, I'm sure they'll get the picture that it's more like Windows Mobile than the iPhone.
3) Google and the hardware manfacturers already have agreements in place (via the Open Handset Alliance) where the manufacturers can work with Google under NDA on not-yet-published Android releases.
4) I hope that Google's motivation is to sell a device that's more open than the ones from the carriers. Actually, they already sell such a device (the "Android Dev Phone 1" which is the same HTC Dream hardware as the T-Mobile G1) but it's slow and clunky compared to the new generation of hardware. It makes sense for them to offer an Android Dev Phone 2 soon. Right now the ADP1 is the only phone with a supported way for customers to upgrade the OS (i.e. without using a root exploit to jailbreak it). A rootable phone is mostly useful for developers, but just look at the iPhone jailbreaking scene to see that certain consumers want it too.