Is Google open as they claim to be?
Google is accused of delaying the certification of LG’s new Android phone named Optimus Q because it’s default search engine is set to Naver, the number one search portal in Korea.Google’s market share in search has been less than 5% compared to Naver’s 75%.
Here is the Korea Herald article: click here.
Different Korean article with more info: click here.
Google has been emphasizing that they have an open platform.
Can it be true this is just a marketing statement and they want to control the platform just as Apple does with the iPhone.
Google has denied the LG’s claim but LG strongly suggests otherwise.
What I believe is that there is no free lunch.
What Google wants is wide adoption of Android so they could get more mobile ad revenue.
The best approach is to distribute a good platform for low-cost so it can be adopted widely.
Google won’t be too happy if they are not making money off their Android platform and someone else gets all the profit.
Every company serves its own interest.
Time will tell what Google really wants.
My thoughts on technology & Korea 
Well, Android the operating system is open source. That isn’t a matter of opinion. That is a matter of legal and actual fact. You can access to and can modify the source code and re-release it legally without Google’s permission.
What Google does have proprietary control over is the Google apps on Android, which are proprietary (e.g. the GMail app, the Google Maps app). These apps are not open source, even though the operating system they run on are.
Google also controls its branding. Many of these new Android phones bear the Google logo on them. My guess is that this is the “certification” in question. That brand name offers legitimacy, and I assume that’s why LG wants it.
There is nothing, however, to stop LG from using Android without the Google apps and without the Google branding, because the Android operating system is open source.
Google has never said they do not have anything proprietary or that they won’t defend their brand name and trademarks. All they have said is that Android is open source, and that is true.
A.Y. Siu
June 17, 2010 at 6:10 am
A.Y., you have a good point. I was not clear on what the Google logo on the Android phone means.
Below article states there are three versions of the Android that you can use but if you want Google logo on this there are some restrictions.
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/27/google-expect-18-android-phones-by-years-end/
Do you know of better document on Google logo branding and restrictions related to Android?
Anyway, Google does speak like if everything is open and everything is possible with Android but Google does in fact maintain some restrictions on Android. So maybe their story is only partially true depending on how you look at it.
Alan
June 17, 2010 at 12:38 pm