>"Without Android, phone makers could shut Google out of mobile phones completely. Chrome and Android help ensure that users can get to Google without interference; they protect our users from other companies’ potentially unlevel playing fields."
Isn't this just saying that Google won't block its own services on Android? There's no guarantee that Google won't block some other search engine. FWIW, I think the App Store / Google Play stores are the biggest obstacles to openness. They are literally determining what users can and cannot be run on their respective platforms.
Yes, but there's a second-order effect. By having Android be a compelling platform, iCloud (or whatever) can't be as easily competitive in the marketplace as a data silo. If my only option for a cell phone were iOS, I'd probably be a lot more willing to buy into Continuity and some of the other Mac-and-iOS-only features.
On the subject of platform curation, it's worth noting that Android lets you sideload apps with a checkbox, and the most generous interpretation is that Apple wants you to pay $99 for the privilege. But I also think it's possible to run an app store ethically and fairly, on a "level playing field" if you will, and in fact Google and Microsoft are both top developers on Apple's.
>"Without Android, phone makers could shut Google out of mobile phones completely. Chrome and Android help ensure that users can get to Google without interference; they protect our users from other companies’ potentially unlevel playing fields."
This quote just rings so incredibly hollow.
I challenge anyone to name one mobile-OS (or OS in general) who has blocked Google servies ever. And no, not being the default is not blocking. First one to do so would be facing widespread consumer outrage, so I doubt anyone is even considering this.
Now turn it around, and ask if Google has ever blocked anything for its competitors (XMPP, apps on WP, non-Chrome browser access to Google-services, blocking non-Chrome browsers with Google-only DRM, non-Google advertising on Android, etc etc).
I think it's pretty obvious which one is need of having its playing field leveled, and it's not Google. Not by a mile.
> I challenge anyone to name one mobile-OS (or OS in general) who has blocked Google servies ever.
Google Chrome on iOS uses a different engine because Apple controls what engine can be used by browsers. That's a restriction placed on Google - although the fact that Google happily uses a different engine on that platform is a pretty big hint that when they want the user data they'll compromise on stuff like this.
Isn't this just saying that Google won't block its own services on Android? There's no guarantee that Google won't block some other search engine. FWIW, I think the App Store / Google Play stores are the biggest obstacles to openness. They are literally determining what users can and cannot be run on their respective platforms.