Communication Breakdown

Just got a quote back from Rich Miner, "Member of Technical Staff, Google", about that non-fragmentation agreement that Google had all the members of the Open Handset Alliance sign to make sure that Android's code doesn't go forking off all over the place in a non-interoperable sort of way. It doesn't really add much to what we already know (I'm trying to nail down an actual copy of the text), but here it is:

The key thing here is that all members of the OHA have agreed to work to avoid fragmenting the platform. All OHA members have agreed not to fragment the platform and to use one repository as the main place for us to host Android distribution. This is independent of the fact that we use the Apache v2 license for our source code.

So thar ye go.

As promised, Google has pushed out the preliminary software development kit for its mobile Linux-based software stack, Android.

On top of that, the company has told us something quite remarkable. One of the big issues with Android has been the fact that, because a big whack of it falls under the Apache licence rather than GPL, the code can be taken and made proprietary by the members of Google's Open Handset Alliance, with no onus on them to explain or return their version of the code to the broader OHA.

Well, guess what? Google made all the manufacturers sign a "non-fragmentation agreement" (I tried Googling the term and came up with one rather lonely hit). This doesn't affect anyone outside the alliance, of course, but it does commit Motorola, Samsung, HTC et al to making their various implementations of the Java-based code interoperate.

Which is, as I say, remarkable. If it turns out as planned.

Anyway, here's a YouTube video of Sergey Brin etc showing off Android on a couple of prototype handsets. Screenshots of the SDK can be found here and the SDK itself can be downloaded here. By the way, Google's holding a big-money competition to attract developers to make apps for Android. Details in our full SDK story, which should be going up within a matter of minutes.

Not only did the ITN news crew get thrown out of Friday's UK launch for the iPhone, but so did these girls:



That's the burly security bod there on the left. Granted, it's a little more understandable than the ejection of a serious news crew, as this lot were leafletting the queue on behalf of an iPhone unlocking service. Admirable, but certainly cheeky.

Otherwise, my personal opinion is that the whole event was rather pathetic. I can understand the thrill of early adoption, but standing in the cold just to be the first in the UK to get a legit iPhone? I mean, if you want to be that bleeding edge, just get a dodgy import from the States (did I say that? Of course not). Even if you take the official route, any Carphone Warehouse or O2 store (or even other Apple stores) would have sufficed - did it really have to be the flagship store? I mean, people actually willingly travelled to central London - in the Christmas season - to be there. To impress whom exactly?

As for the Apple employees who had to repeatedly run around the queue slapping people on the back and whooping loudly (I kid you not), I have only sympathy. At least, I did once I'd gotten over the urge to commit physical violence.

PS - The above photo and others can be viewed in our photo-story here. And to all those in the queue who kindly agreed to be interviewed, I say: Congratulations on your purchase. You are indeed the cream of the cutting edge vanguard of all that is good about technological innovation etc etc.

Here's a picture courtesy of our colleagues at Silicon.com (full picture story going up soon, I understand) of Apple's core (boom boom) audience queuing outside the company's main London store, waiting for the iPhone to go on sale at 6:02pm.



Judging from that shot, it would appear that The Cloud - O2 and Apple's Wi-Fi partner in this venture - is handing out hoodies to ward off the cold. I have my doubts as to whether the band Tool is actively sponsoring the event.

We shall ourselves be there later on, taking more snaps of shivering folks waiting for their Jesusphone fix. Just so long as they don't mistake us for an ITN crew.

I've held back until now from writing about Symbian's reaction to Google's Android platform, because... well... it's a bit old-hat really. The company said three months ago that mobile Linux was "fragmentation city", and that's pretty much what's been touted around right through to today, for example in this BBC interview.

Symbian certainly has reason to celebrate at the moment over pretty positive results which stem largely from a cut they made a while back in licensing fees.

However, its biggest buddy, Nokia, is strongly considering an entry into Google's Open Handset Alliance - the manufacturer had been conspicuous in its absence from the membership list announced on Monday. If it does do the Android dance, then Symbian will be in big trouble.

Consider these quotes from Symbian's John Forsyth in that BBC interview: "Search and a mobile phone platform are completely different things. It's costly, arduous and at times a deeply unsexy job of supporting customers day by day in launching phones. That's something there's very little experience of in Google's environment. If you are a serious phone maker and you are asked to bet your handsets on somebody, you would want to bet on someone with a track record of delivery and support."

Ummm.... well, firstly, Google does a hell of a lot more than search these days, as Forsyth well knows. And guess what, it's pretty good at many of those things. Secondly, Google isn't going to be launching handsets - that'll be Motorola, Samsung and, perhaps, Nokia. The OHA will be working out and supporting the platform on an industry-wide basis.

As for Forsyth's suggestion that developers won't be interested in writing for Google's platform - well, the word that springs to mind here would relegate this post to "not safe for work".

Methinks the Symbian doth protest too much. They must be deeply rattled.