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What do you all think? Obviously no one can foretell the future, but I wonder if Android will remain opensource now that Google owns Motorola. I know Google gave other reasons for the Honeycomb source never being released, but between owning a major phone building company and wanting to end Android fragmentation, I personally don't think Android will remain opensource much longer.
Thoughts?
Is this a good or bad thing?
Motorola is being worked as separate company. They still have to bid to get the first taste of new Oses and to build the next nexus. Google also makes its money from people using google services. Also other than verzion it would be hard to get any traction on any of the other carriers.
Motorola's profits are just a tiny percentage of what Google makes on mobile traffic. It wouldn't make sense to lock it down.
According to this article, it sounds like it would be Android that would suffer if Samsung pushed Bada and not Android:
AppleInsider | Samsung seeks to strengthen Bada in wake of Google's Motorola deal
Another choice tidbit:
Samsung's Bada-powered phones launched with greater success than Microsoft's entire Windows Phone 7 ecosystem, which Samsung also participated in as a licensee. According to Canalys, Samsung sold 3.5 million Bada phones in Q1 2011 and then 4.5 million in Q2, compared to a total of just 2.5 million Windows Phone 7 models in Q1 and only 1.5 million more in Q2.
I think Android will still be offered to other manufacturers. However, I would expect Motorola to derive advantages from being owned by Google, whether it is early access to new versions or simply the ability to influence the product to their advantage. I think Samsung and HTC would be smart to edge their bets at this point.
Patent wars is all this is.
Older versions of the OS will remain open source... but Google has already been providing early access to beta builds to their "preferred" vendors.