Google Inc. said it will temporarily limit access to the newest version of its Android software, a move that runs counter to the open-source philosophy on which the Internet giant has based its popular mobile operating system.
A Google representative said source code for newest version of Android, which is dubbed Honeycomb and built specifically for tablets, won’t be shared because the software isn’t yet ready to be altered and customized for a variety of devices.
The decision to delay the public release of Honeycomb will not affect device-making partners such as Samsung Electronics Co., Dell Inc., HTC Corp. and Acer Inc., which are expected to soon start releasing new tablets built with the software. Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. already launched the Xoom tablet last month.
“Google is trying to limit any damage potential by granting access to those companies that work well with Google in order to preserve the experience,” Gartner analyst Carolina Milanesi said.
She said Google appears to be taking steps to protect its brand from low-cost hardware makers that might try to push aggressively into the tablet market by cutting corners and lowering prices.
“While we’re excited to offer these new features to Android tablets,” the Google representative said, “we have more work to do before we can deliver them to other device types including phones. Until then, we’ve decided not to release Honeycomb to open source.”
Previous versions of Android were built for mobile phones and were widely available to be modified by any third-party developer. But that approach resulted in a number of Android-based products that were poorly received by consumers.
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