Android Source Code Available
Google has released the source code of its Android platform, and coincidentally, I saw my first G1 in the wild yesterday.
“Android is not a single piece of hardware; it’s a complete, end-to-end software platform that can be adapted to work on any number of hardware configurations. Everything is there, from the bootloader all the way up to the applications. And with an Android device already on the market, it has proven that it has what it takes to truly compete in the mobile arena…
“Have a great idea for a new feature? Add it! As an open source project, the best part is that anyone can contribute to Android and influence its direction. And if the platform becomes as ubiquitous as I hope it will, you may end up influencing the future of mobile devices as a whole.”
With the release of Android, the open sourcing of Symbian and the gradual failure of Windows Mobile, it’s clear the mobile market will take a very different direction than the PC market two decades ago. (I expect Apple’s iPhone will flourish alongside the open source platforms as well.)
Without the negative influence of a Microsoft monopoly, mobile devices are going to be much more dynamic and innovative than the PC software industry has been for many years. (Although open source is forcing major changes there now, as well.) This should be interesting!