Android Team Q&A Live Blog
(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!