Open-Source Closed for the Summer?

As we’ve mentioned in this space in the past, Google is preparing to launch their first volley into the war for your mobile conversations when their Android Operating System hits cell phones worldwide.  We’ve also mentioned once or twice (and by “we’ve” I mean “I’ve”, and by “once or twice” I mean “about 30 times”), Apple currently is developing a stranglehold on the mobile phone/music player/camera/wonder-gizmo market.

That stranglehold seems to only be getting stronger, as reports are now surfacing that Google might be playing favorites with which developers get first crack at writing mobile programs for the Android OS. (Full disclosure – the story comes from the Appleinsider.com website.  Not sure if they stand to gain if Android fails versus the iPhone, but keep it in mind.)

It appears that Google has been predetermining which development teams are going to be allowed full and early access to the Android OS, giving them the necessary head start to have their programs ready to go on release day – whenever that release may be.

Google’s entire approach has been to develop a completely open-source operating system for mobile phones; that is to say that they are trying to allow anyone the ability to write programs and modify the code to fit their needs.  Unfortunately, by limiting the access to their initial software releases and choosing which developers get to cut the line and play first, Google has also limited the “openness” of their “open-source” operating system.

According to the AppleInsider article, some developers are even threatening to boycott the Google product and write programs specifically for the iPhone, something that would severely harm the market and possibly even end the competition between Android and the iPhone.

Of course, the end of Android before it has even launched is a remote possibility at worst.  Google has shown too much savvy in the past to not realize their mistakes here and open up the development stages to the world. 

Larry, Sergey – are you listening?