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Alright I’m here with the Android Team and its time to talk Android specifically. I’m recording the whole thing so stay tuned for the video in a new post, but for now I’ll post some interesting tidbits from the live event!
(1) Question about how Apple advertises and Verizon, Sprint and whoever else doesn’t really know that Google is behind it or what the connection is. Andy talks about how he thinks people DO know in the store and they’re more focused on creating the experience and allowing partners to market for them.
(2) A question about the “end goal” of Android being about no carriers, white spaces, and some type of mobile utopia were met with a “I think we saw some pretty revolutionary things at the keynote” and suggested that they’re open source and supporting all the other users of their platform as well.
(3) Will Google be offering direct updates OTA for their OS? Comparison was drawn between an HP computer, Microsoft Windows, and getting updates to the desktop OS via Microsoft over the web. Andy Rubin identifies that the OEM and carrier need to do that because the don’t control the channel… totally different scenario.
(4) A question is asked about the Nexus One distribution model. A question I was actually going to ask but only in more depth. The answer? The web store was an experiment and Android is in a different place than it was 6 months ago and the “right thing” to do is now different from a distribution standpoint.
Several questions over and over ridicule the backtracking of the Nexus One on the webstore and Mr. Rubin essentially admits that the strategy may have been a bit flawed and didn’t work out the way they hoped/planned.
(5) Vic says: In some countries mobile accounts for 30% to 40% of Google’s search traffic.
(6) Will there be an ADC3? Probably not… ADC1 and 2 served their purpose at a time BEFORE handsets were even out and then as they wanted to build momentum. Mission accomplished but they wouldn’t rule it out to meet future goals.
(7) MyTouch will get Froyo… at least the dev phone version
(8) Question about Android Tablets developing, Andy mentions they had a phone on stage and a TV on stage… 3 inches to 50 inches. If they can do Android effectively on both, there are a lot of screen sizes in between that manufacturers should be able to successfully place Android on as well.
(9) Very few Android devices in Latin America… will that change? Are there plans? Andy Rubin says they have some plans to further Android in other countries, specifically Latin America, but that the global momentum of Android is happening at different speeds in different places.
(10) Andy just asked a questioner to repeat their publication. “WAPreview.com”… to which Andy says, “I think you may want to think about renaming your publication.”……. “Yeah”. Everyone laughs. That was funny as hell.
We’re wrapping up here… there was a TON of information that I didn’t get into this live blog so make sure you stay tuned for the full video!
OO! Ask them if the G1 is gonna get 2.2!
Any update for the magic/mytouch as these updates are controlled by Google if I’m not mistaken?
If possible, ask when we can expect nexus one to be in stores in America?
There was a rumor that 2.2 would enable the FM radio on the N1. Any news on that? Thanks.
Ask when droid gets 2.2, and when tmobile will be selling nexus with 2.2.
Ask about Google Voice and Google Navigation availability outside US
Please ask why paid apps are not available to sim-less Nexus Ones purchased directly from Google!
I would like to know what they are going to do about the OS fragmentation that going on and how they plan on solving the issue going forward.
Yeah, please do…. @dirble.
Will sprint hero get 2.2?
Mark if you read the SDK docs is says that paid apps are filtered out by the Android market app if you dont have a SIM chip
Yes, but the question is why?
@paul
Please tell me that is a joke.
Ok, so I’m hearing that instead of referring to fragmentation, they want to refer to phones with older OS versions as “legacy” How the hell is my phone, the MT3G, a phone not yet one year old, legacy!?
No one has talked about the Moto Droid, PLEASE ASK ABOUT THE DROID!
The google I/O developer myTouch/Magic phone, that’s the 32B right? same as the T-Mo original version myTouch?
@Steve, no joke. I’m not playing.
Ask if they are gonna implement full copy and paste support, better gmail app, improved gtalk app and youtube app.
Is there a way to liste the Q&A live?
@paul you guys just got 2.1 yesterday. I would suggest you don’t hold your breath.
Nice phone, but as the whole line of them shows buying an HTC branded phone is a great way to ensure you get updates late or never. Anything running an alternate frontend is like that, the phones running motoblur will probably not see any updates soon either.
@Steve I was talkin about ever, or would the sprint hero be shut out for good? I know it would take a while and I’m fine with that, I was just trying to see if it would eventually get 2.2 because a statement was made that phones coming out this year would get it. a mytouch slide in terms of specs is not that different from a hero and that phone hasn’t even come out yet, but will come out this year, and by definition should be getting 2.2. Hence the reason I even asked.
Oh yea, and there are a lot of Android phones with custom UIs hero, motoblur, nexus one, etc, and at least one of those is confirmed to be getting 2.2 (nexus one)
Umm…@paul, Nexus One doesn’t have a custom UI, it’s Stock 2.1
No not entirely, its not.
What? How do you figure? That would mean Google made a custom UI for the OS they sold. In which case, it’s not custom, it’s stock. If you’re comparing it to the Droid, the 2.1 stock interface is different from the 2.0 interface the Droid came with , but they are both stock interfaces.
@paul nexus one is pretty much stock. It will get 2.2 long before anything with SenseUI or motoblur.
Ok well to me it counts as a custom interface. The cube or whatever its called that u press to get to apps on the nexus, what other phone has it? That to me makes it custom. All 2.1 roms for the most part have the same options, but are still customized for different phones and different specs, hardware, and the like.
Nexus One is STOCK Android 2.1. It is the true Google experience and has no alternate UI on it (no Sense, no MotoBlur, no nothing). The N1 has the true Android 2.1 OS running on it with no additions.
@Steve and that’s fine I’m cool with that I was just asking if the sprint hero would ever get 2.2, that’s it and that’s all.
WHEN IS FROYO 2.2 COMING OUT? NEXUS ONE
@Paul…the square cube thing you refer to is the launcher…the reason no other phones have it is because they have a CUSTOM UI on top of Android 2.1. If you strip out Sense or Motoblur you will have what is running on the Nexus…100% Android OS with no fluff added
Ok well if I wanted to be a asshole I could still argue about that, but the statement u just made @ JJ has nothing to do with my original question, which was about continued support for the sprint hero. I may be wrong about the nexus one having a custom UI, but I was asking about something un-related.
When will 2.2 be deployed to Nexus Ones? Didn’t anyone ask that?!
@paul, I get it and I too think it should. Heck, I think the G1 should get a stripped down version. The reality is the carriers and OEMs are hurting what android really could be. This is one reason why I am going to be sure never to buy a phone that required signed boot images. At least that way I can make sure I get the latest upgrades.
@Dave they said within the new couple weeks
@Steve do u know of a phone out now that doesn’t require signed boot images? I thought they all required signed images.
Nexus One can be unlocked to not require signed image. Of course doing so will void your warranty.
“(7) MyTouch will get Froyo… at least the dev phone version”
Oh man! Good news! Even if T-Mobile doesn’t release it this’ll surely make it easier for Cyanogen and other myTouch devs.
@paul Droid, Nexus1, G1. I think all the rest do, but I am not 100% sure.
@Ray, the Nexus 1 will NEVER EVER GET FM RADIO. There is insufficient hardware for that. Yes, the Broadcom chip has a demodulator, but the Nexus one PCB does not have an AFE or an antenna… and as far as I can tell from the tear-down photos, it doesn’t even look like those pins are connected anywhere (although it is very hard to tell anything from a BGA package). Sorry.
Does the Android music player still suck? If so, why is no love given to this app? When I play music next to an iPhone user, I can’t help but feel embarrassed.
If MyTouch is getting Froyo does that mean flash will be on the MyTouch?
what about cliq getting 2.1 somebody please gve me some info on this