No, that title isn’t a code for something else. Though, it could be. (We’ll let your imagination race.) According to some sources speaking with TechCrunch, it looks like Google’s going to go ahead and (basically) pull a Microsoft: with the next release of Android, they want to make it so that handset manufacturers, like HTC and Motorola, have no reason to put their own User Interface customizations on the device.
While Google has been focusing on the nuts and bolts of Android since its launch in 2008, which subsequently resulted in update after update, in rapid succession, that’s not going to be the case with the release of Gingerbread (reportedly launching some time by the end of this year). While there will obviously still be some tweaks to the core system, along with features, it seems that the Android team has all of the necessary features they want at this point, so they’re ready to focus on the next big thing: the UI.
We all know that Google’s mobile Operating System is designed with “open” in the fore, and therefore these skins from manufacturers shouldn’t be a problem at all. And, while HTC’s Sense may be great, there are some out there that believe it slows down the experience. Google wants to bring their attention to the UI so they can make something better, and native. As TC puts it, they want something akin to the Apple’s iPhone experience.
This is a bold move from Google if it’s true. But, those key acquisitions of Palm personnel over the last few weeks may have something to do with this. And, if it does, then that’s great. We’re curious as to see what this will make Android look like, or how we will interact with our future devices, but it also begs the question: how easy will it be for current generation devices to get upgraded to Android x.x, or Gingerbread, once it launches? Sounds to us like vanilla Android won’t be so vanilla anymore.
[via TechCrunch]
