Google is Locking Down Android Customization

When Android was released back in 2008, many mobile phone creators wanted to get their hands on this brand new open source software. With the upcoming increase of Android devices being sold, Android won't be going away anytime soon.

The biggest thing that mobile phone creators loved, is that Android is heavily customizable. With HTC Sense, HTC's software that can customize Android, many users enjoy the software and say that it's unique.

With many loving the user interface you see over to your left, Google doesn't find this very heartening. With all of the variations of Android on many phones, Google wants to have a consistent interface and provide the same experience; in the long run, stabilizing the platform and ensuring quality among all Android devices.

Whereas I don't disagree with Google, I can say they're being very "pushy" of their open-source software. Android is free to use, free to download, and free to modify. But then again, if cell phone creators (I so want to say carriers, but they do not make the phones) are getting this software for free and essentially creating their own custom operating system out of it.

If you pick up an Android device from HTC and compare it with a Motorola device, you're going to see some similarities, but most of what you'll see is will be interface differences. You have so many launchers in Android that quite honestly, is getting out of hand.

I second Google with their idea of keeping it all the same, but locking us down to just one interface is limiting. But the great thing is, because Android is toppled on top of Linux, you'll be able to freely modify it once you buy any Android device. So should we really be complaining? I think not. But for the cell phone carriers and creators, I believe there's going to be much trouble marketing Android devices. People like different user interfaces; if we had the same Android on every phone, picking "the best" Android device out there would be nearly impossible.

What do you think about what Google is doing? Let's hear your thoughts in the comments below!