Taiwanese smartphone makers warn Google attitude may lead to split in Android

Anonymous sources at Taiwanese smartphone makers commented that Google's aggressive stand against the Aliyun operating system may result in an increased split in the adoption of Android. DigiTimes heard from its sources that if Google cracks down on modified Android platforms, developers of these platforms may be forced to offer own-brand smartphones or tablets and give up on Android. In the West this doesn't seem like a major issue, but in China it could have bigger consequences:

If Google cracks down by prohibiting smartphone vendors from adopting modified Android platforms, developers of modified Android platforms, such as Amazon, may skip vendors to directly partner with ODMs to offer their own-brand devices, with such platforms to set up their own ecosystems and thereby become more competitive with Android, the sources pointed out. For some China-based smartphone vendors which have adopted many locally developed applications, because losses arising from forgoing Android may be small, they may shift to a modified Android platforms.

Among China-based smartphone vendors, only Huawei Technologies, ZTE, Lenovo, Haier, Oppo and a few others joined the Open Handset Alliance, the sources noted. As China is the largest smartphone market around the world, Google had better pay attention to response from web service operators, smartphone vendors and consumers, the sources pointed out.