In 2007 we launched the Android operating system is open source. Smartphones were expensive and accessible to few. We wanted to change things – to stimulate innovation and increase choice for consumers – and it succeeded.
Android allows manufacturers to avoid the acquisition or creation of an expensive operating system. Due to the fact that smartphones are now available at much more competitive prices – even for 45 euros and have become much more affordable for a larger number of people.
Today, Android runs on more than 24 thousand. device models from more than 1.3 thousand brands. And European developers can distribute their applications to millions of people around the world. Android is not a “one-way street to Google,” this is a multiband prospect of many possibilities.
In April this year the European Commission has issued a written statement of objections (Statement of Objections), which expresses doubts about how we manage the compatibility of Android and distribute their own applications. Our answer, which is now transferred to the Commission, shows how the Android ecosystem finely balances the interests of users, application developers, equipment manufacturers and mobile network operators. Android does not harm competition, as it increases.
first, the disclaimer issued by the Commission wrongly assume that Android is not competing with Apple iOS. Don’t we perceive it that way. And, apparently, does not see is the Apple. Neither phone manufacturers. Nor the developers. Nor the users. In fact, 89% of participants in the market research conducted for the Commission, confirmed that Android and Apple are competing with each other. Niedostrzeżenie rivalry with Apple, it przegapienie the most characteristic element of today’s competitive smartphone market.
second, we are concerned that preliminary findings of the Commission to underestimate the importance of developers and the danger of fragmentation in the ecosystem of mobile devices. Developers in Europe in 2015. they were, at least, 1.3 million – in their work rely on a stable and coherent framework. Each hardware manufacturer can download the Android and change it in any form. However, this flexibility Android is the problem is called “fragmentation”, which plagues previous projects with open source such as Unix and Symbian. How to ensure a joint, consistent version of the software when everyone can download and change Your code so that developers don’t have to deal with the trouble and cost of building multiple versions of your app?
to cope with this problem, we collaborate with equipment manufacturers on achieving a basic level of compatibility with Android devices. What word we give it to handset manufacturers greater freedom in the creation of devices that are significantly out of the main decisions, therefore, the range of devices running Android is so diverse. The main thing that our voluntary agreement on compatibility, while still provide variety, give developers the confidence to build applications that will work without problems on thousands of different phones and tablets. This balance stimulates competition between Android devices and between Android iphone from Apple.
Rules Android compatibility help to minimize fragmentation and maintain a healthy ecosystem for developers. 94% of respondents in the review of the Commission answered the question on fragmentation, said that it is harmful for the Android platform. The developers of this worry, and our competitors have their own platforms (which do not face the same risk), regularly they criticize us for it. The Commission’s proposal is a risk that the problem of fragmentation will further increase, which will impact negatively on the Android platform and competitiveness in the market of mobile phones.
third, the Commission argues that we should not invite applications from Google, as part of the package. No manufacturer shall pre-install the operating apps Google Android phone. We suggest, however, the manufacturers bundle that after buying a new phone, provides users with access to each set of core services. Android competition, including the Apple iPhone and phones with Microsoft Windows, not only do the same, but allow a much smaller selection within applications that are hosted in their phones. On phones with Android apps that usually are less than one-third of the pre-installed apps (and only a small portion of the memory device). The user can also slide your finger to abandon the use of all of our applications at any time. And equipment manufacturers and mobile network can also preinstalować applications competitive with our. In the terminology related to competition in the market, this means that there is no "prevent access" or "exclude" (eng. "foreclosure") .
There are also a lot of evidence that consumers can easily choose which apps they want to use something that the Commission itself noted in other proceedings. The average Android user in Europe gets an additional 50 apps on their device during its “life time”. Download and replace the application or widget is easy – you can do it in 30 seconds. In 2015 users to download from Google Play 65 billion apps – an average of more than 175 million applications per day. Since 2011, the application offers the same functions as the app from our pack, were taken almost 15 billion times. Again, you can’t talk about not to impede access.
part of the pre-installed applications does not win the hearts of users, while a lot of apps and installed them yourself is a great success – for example, Spotify or Snapchat. Our approach clearly retains the freedom of choice of users about which apps they want to have on your phone.
In the end it is worth noting that the distribution of such products as the Google Search engine together with Google Play allows us to offer the whole set of apps for free – unlike, for example, downloading from the mountains of license fees. This free distribution is an effective solution for everyone – reduces prices for phone manufacturers and consumers, allowing us to maintain significant investment in Android and Play.
Today the market of mobile devices shows how acute the competition, and in a wide range of business models from vertically-integrated operating systems like iOS from Apple after system open-source like Android. The rapid progress, large selection of products and low prices of the smartphones is the manifestation of healthy competition.
Android has released a new generation of innovation and competition across platforms. In all respects this is the most open, flexible and diverse mobile platforms.
however the platform open source, are fragile. In order to survive and develop, introduce a balance between the needs of all participants, including users and developers. The Commission’s approach will sustain this balance and bring, by chance, the signal of favorable private platforms. And it will mean less innovation, less choice, less competition and higher prices. It would be this decision is bad not only for Google, but for app developers, mobile phone manufacturers, mobile networks, and, most importantly, for consumers.
these are the questions we draw the Commission’s attention in our current opinion. And we are open to further dialogue on this issue.
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