Android Honeycomb open source code

Android Honeycomb scored several turns in Google‘s mobile strategy. The OS creates a second branch in the ETP, with an Android version 2.x which is dedicated to the mobile terminals while Android 3.0 is targeted at tablet and handheld devices with larger screens. It would also seem that the manner and timing of spreading the source code have been modified. Until now, Google provides the code immediately after the arrival of the OS on the market, allowing anyone to edit it to adjust its operating system to their needs and their Pro-Dictator.

However, this will not happen for Android Honeycomb. Bloomberg reports that Google has no plans to provide a quick source code as part of Honeycomb ‘Android Open Source Project, and perhaps never will. In other words, only the partners have direct access to Google, but not the developers. To explain this choice, Andy Rubin, Android software engineer, refers to the user interface of Honeycomb. It ‘clear that Google is trying to avoid interface integrated on the touchscreen tablet Honeycomb penalize the “personality” of the OS.

This is certainly one of the decisions that led to not use HTC Android HTC Flyer Honeycomb on your tablet, in order to bring its interface HTC Sense. Andy Rubin points out that the spread of the source code of a mobile OS for tablet would cause some developers to bring the operating system on smartphones, but it is not designed for this type of device and offering a bad UI. All in all, Rubin reiterated that Android is an open source project and that the mobile strategy has not changed.

The concept is not readily accepted by the supporters of free software, but also highlights the limits of a large group such as Google. Also according to Bloomberg, the upcoming availability of open source code from Google could be the launch of the next version of Android, called Ice Cream.