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Many people won't agree, but Google is not doing everything right regarding it's Android operating system. Despite the growing market share that the Android mobile operating system is beginning to control, Android creators Google could be ruining things for themselves already.

The Android Experience

Since I personally have an Android smartphone in my hand I can suffer in my own flesh the flaws of it. Yes, I think Google is doing some things, or at least a good deal, very badly. If you are a fan of android, also known as a fandroid, do not go on reading, the content ahead could possibly hurt your feelings.

Another Update

No doubt the criticism of an OS usually comes after one of the Android updates are released and for various different reasons. It seems to some users, including myself to be a shame that we havereached this point in an updated operating system and it seems that Google have not put their best efforts to fix any problems within the previous version of Android. Moreover, the problem can be divided into two: updates with a very high frequency and other updates where the control over them is managed entirely by the handset manufacturer or even the network operator. To sum up the process of updates:

Several times a year (after the last firmware update, Google have said that the process will now be annual), Google makes an update and release the code. This code is in the hands of manufacturers to adapt it to their devices. Once adapted, it is the operator who makes the final touches. Finally, it is distributed tousers.

But is it mandatory to upgrade? Well, I think they are mandatory in the practice, and that except in very specific cases the goal of an update is to adapt to several changes and given that a mobile terminal will be in the global market selling for months or even years, the goal is to ensure that each update is just that and does not depreciate from the efforts of the former firmware version.

Lack of Control

The problem is that there is no control for the end user over the updates. Once Google decides to update a feature on a version of Android, control over it is put into the hands of the manufacturer and after that the cell-phone operator. This means that we find cases such as that in which handset manufacturer Motorola refuses to update some of its devices.

Another point, very close to the above is the frequency of the updates. Is it better to make minor updates frequently or large updates every now and then? Google seems to go both ways, minor and large updates, both at a high frequency.

How to improve the updates

In my opinion, it is imperative that Google takes control of their own operating system. There are simply too many parties involved, pushing the development and the update process from one side to the other.

Applications

Applications are another issue that leads me towards thinking that things are not OK with regards to the Android operating system. Every time I take a look at the Android Market, I realize that 10 applications are useful and the rest does not interest or appeal to me since they are of, in my own opinion, low quality. This is a drawback of an open market platform, there is no quality control on the Android Marketplace which in contrast is completely different to the Apple platform.

Unlike applications for the iPhone, Android applications lack a minimum of quality that allows some stability to the operating system. For instance, I have seen few games that run more or less decently and acceptably. Many of the games available on the Android Marketplace are just badly thought out, badly designed or badly programmed games.

Very intrusive advertising

Android applications are also full of advertising, which can be extremely annoying to the end user and is intrusive to our use of the handset. There appears no be little or no applications available that do not come installed with some kinds of banner advertising, which does not seem an appropriate way to develop such a marketplace.

The Android Market is one of those who are crying to be reformed: a bad navigation and bad advertisement of new applications. It is difficult to spend time browsing the Marketplace and I prefer to avoid it generally.

There is a lack of control from Google when it comes to application updates and marketplace content too. As with firmware updates, the application update process could and should, be controlled better. A much needed point in the Android Market is filtering applications, since the community's response is often inadequate. It is normal for the Android Market to be full of trash applications and this is also a bad deal for serious developers. With a more organised and refreshed way to browse the Android Market could be one good step to try and compete with a more developed and smooth running Apple Marketplace.

With all that said, I still firmly believe that Google can and will get it right with Android. The Operating System itself is a more exciting prospect currently than it's rivals and if Google can just take control, it could reign supreme.

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