Google has grown to the point where it is a problem for friends and
enemies alike.
At first glance Acer, Apple, and Amazon would seem to have little to
fear from an online advertising firm like Google. But that was before
Android
and Google's ever-present need to find new sources of revenue.
Android is the excuse Google needs to force all sorts of
accommodations and agreements from "partners".
Apple and Google
Apple has made it clear
since the launch of Android phones that it has issues with Google.
First, Apple dropped Google CEO Eric Schmidt from its board of
directors. Then it sued half a dozen manufacturers of Android phones.
It also blocked Google apps on the iPhone. Finally, Apple dropped
Google Maps and the YouTube app (YouTube has been owned by Google since
2006) from iOS 6.
Going from having Google on its board of directors to dropping every
Google feature (except search) is a major shift. There is a clear chill
in the air between these two companies. The differences are growing
every year.
Amazon and Google
Amazon has followed a different but equally distancing route. It
switched the Kindle Fire to the Android operating system but rolled its
own version, so you have to use Amazon's store to get apps. Lucky for
Amazon, it is not part of the Open Handset
Alliance. It has the freedom to use Android without being locked in
by Google's rules.
On top of this arm's length dealing with Google, Amazon also dropped
Google as its search engine in favor of Microsoft back in
2006.
The latest move to distance itself is the
switch from Google Maps to maps from Nokia.
When partners are choosing Nokia and Microsoft over you, it may be
time to evaluate the perception of your company in the business world.
I doubt that anyone believes Google's Don't be evil
slogan any longer.
We could say that it is too bad for Apple and Amazon, but Google
cannot go around trying to make everyone happy.
Acer and Google
Open Handset Alliance logo.
Then we learned that Google is putting its heavy hand on existing
partners. Acer has been told that it cannot make phones with the
Aliyun OS
because this OS is not 100% compatible with Android. (Members are
not allowed to produce phones that run incompatible versions of
Android, but they are allowed to build phones that run other operating
systems.)
If Acer wants to stay in the Open Handset Alliance, it has to toe
the line and only make Android smartphones. Since Android is life or
death for Acer's phone business, it has no choice but obey Google.
Now we can look at Apple and Amazon's decisions and see Google in a
new light. The supposed open source loving Google likes things open,
but only as it defines open. It is not like Google is offering
to legal indemnify its partners who use only 100% Android; it is simply
saying that to be part of this "open" project, you are limited by rules
Google created.
What Google gives away, it can also take away.
Google is a partnership neither Apple nor Amazon can afford.
