Android: Is Open Source Better for the Masses?
Jarrod R. Worlitz
ITT Technical Institute, Sylmar Campus
EN1420

Abstract
This paper makes the argument that Google’s Android Operating System and the open source platform it provides is superior to its major competitor, Apple’s closed source iOS. The focus will be on how the ecosystem of “smartphones” and other mobile devices (such as tablets and phablets) has been impacted by Google, Inc.’s decision to release the Android Operating System as “Open Source Software” (OSS), allowing for a wider adoption of the platform than was achievable by Apple Inc.’s iPhone, whose marketing strategy and decision to is control both hardware and software. The claim will be supported by explaining the superiority of Android in terms of its benefits to manufacturers, consumers, and software developers.

Android: Is Open Source is Better for the Masses? One of the fastest growing technologies is mobile computing. This fascinating trend in communication was propelled in large by the introduction of smartphones. Smartphones provide instant access to information and programs only previously available users from a desktop PC. To be clear, there are many other such mobile devices on the market that do not qualify as phones, such as tablets and “phablets” (a hybrid phone and tablet) however their roots can be traced back to two major platforms. These platforms are maintained by some of the largest companies in a competitive market. The two largest names when it comes to smartphones and other devices are Apple’s iPhone (and iPad) and Google’s Android (phones and tablets produced by various manufacturers).
There are other platforms as well, however market data shows that the two aforementioned companies are the largest competitors. Both have a greater percentage of the market share (as of Sept 2014, Android has 52.5% market share, and Apple has 41.4%, leaving the remaining 6.1% share to be divided amongst Microsoft, Blackberry, and Symbian) (Lella, 2014).
This paper will address the differing methodologies used by Apple and Google, specifically with the claim that the usage of open source software by Google in the Android OS has produced a superior operating platform. This paper will describe how this claim is substantiated by providing insight into reasons why open source software could be considered superior, and how the benefits of this can be seen as it trickles down to manufacturers, consumers, and software developers.
According to Cusumano (2008),
We can define the term “platform” as a foundation product or key technology in a system like the PC or a Web-enabled cell phone. A platform should have relatively open technical interfaces and easy licensing terms in order to encourage other firms to contribute complementary products and services. These external innovations create an ecosystem around the platform. The critical distinguishing feature of a platform is “network externalities”: the more external firms in the network that create complementary innovations, the more valuable the platform becomes. This dynamic should cause more users to adopt the platform, more complementors to enter the ecosystem, more users to adopt, almost ad infinitum.
The Operating System (OS) on any device is an integral part of the platform that allows communication between the hardware and software layers. The OS on a personal computer is flexible, and can be augmented to some degree (depending on the operating system) or removed and replaced with a different one. An example would be purchasing a desktop PC from Dell running Windows 7, and formatting the device’s “hard drive” (internal storage) and installing Linux Ubuntu (another example of an OS compatible with the PC platform). In contrast, when one wants to run the Apple OS-X (their competitor to Microsoft’s Windows), one only has the option of purchasing the Apple Hardware, similarly if a user wants the Apple Hardware, they are tied in the same way to the OS-X Operating System (it is relevant to mention there do exist non-supported “hacks” to circumvent this OEM structure, but they are beyond the scope of this paper.
With this background in mind, it is important to note the differences between typical PC based platforms (Windows/PC and OS-X/Apple) and the structure of mobile devices. The software on mobile phones is what is referred to as embedded software. Embedded software cannot (easily) be altered by the end user. Barr (2007) defines embedded systems as “a combination of computer hardware and software, and perhaps additional mechanical or other parts, designed to perform a dedicated function.”
According to Dempsey (2011), before smartphones and mobile devices,
…the typical embedded system was something that was designed to be left well alone. The technology within it was meant to last, often for more than a decade, and was certified to high standards in safety, reliability and security. Today, almost all are connected to a network – public or private – and issues arise about how to communicate with them and load extra ‘apps’ to expand their functionality.

As far back as the original Macintosh (the personal computer that saw Apple as major competitor the PC market, “Apple chose to optimize the hardware-software system and monopolize revenues” from their products (Cusumano, 2008). The Macintosh, introduced in 1984, wasn’t Apple’s first product by any means, but it did introduce the mass market to the concept of a graphical user interface (although several other companies had produced other platforms by this time Apple’s marketing made it easily accessible and attractive).
In contrast, Microsoft, who is popular for their Windows OS, which has the largest market share of software running on desktop PC’s (92.11% as of Oct 2014) has reached its market share not by producing hardware, but by adopting a different platform strategy (Net Applications, 2014). This strategy entailed licensing the Windows operating system widely and working openly with manufacturers and developers to evolve the platform and create applications for the mass market. Apple’s approach means they control all aspects of both hardware and software, meaning they are (for the most part) the only producer of the Mac, and specifically any device running iOS (iPod, iPhone, iPad). Generally, their devices are set at a higher price point than comparable devices of the same class (about twice the cost of an IBM-compatible PC using technology from Microsoft and Intel) and diffusion low (Cusumano, 2008).
Apple began their history of keeping their software and devices as closed off as possible (Cusumano, 2008). The original iPod and its embedded software, iOS, were not compatible with Windows based computers until several years after their initial deployment, and it was about as much time until they were compatible with other widely used file formats other than Apple’s proprietary choice of the .m4a file format, rather than the more common .mp3 file format (for example).
With the introduction of Apple’s iPhone in 2007, users were given their first glimpse into such technological feats (Dolan, 2007) that had previously been only imagined on television (think Star Trek). The iPhone offered the a simple, easy to use interface and clever branding built on an existing brand recognition in the way of the iPod, a portable music-only player that preceded the iPhone by about six years (Lloyd, 2004).
As far as bringing a true “computing” experience to the end user, more advanced technophiles and software developers winced at the “closed source” nature of the iOS and its source code. Silberman (2014) aptly describes the difference between proprietary or “closed” source software and “open” source software (OSS):
As opposed to proprietary software, which is the subject of a negotiated license agreement or is purchased off the shelf subject to a shrink wrap license, most OSS licenses are neither purchased nor negotiated and do not require a signature to establish a contract. OSS licenses often rely upon the use and distribution of the software to establish legally binding obligations.

Android is a software platform and OS for mobile devices based on the Linux OS and developed by Google and the Open Handset Alliance (Nimodia & Deshmukh, 2012). Linux is a free “open source” OS originally developed Linus Torvalds and first released in 1991. Linux is based on UNIX, which was developed by AT&T’s Bell Labs in the 1960’s and 1970’s for huge mainframe computers (Goldsborough, 2014). One of the main reasons for the development of Linux was to run on the PC platform. Its open source nature lends itself to being used and augmented into other projects, which is the basis for Android.
The Google Android Developer’s site, explains the company’s intentions behind the "Android Open Source Project" or "AOSP,” the backbone of the Android OS:

Google started the Android project in response to our own Experiences launching mobile apps. We wanted to make sure there would always be an open platform available for carriers, OEMs, and developers to use to make their innovative ideas a reality. We also wanted to make sure there was no central point of failure, so no single industry player could restrict or control the innovations of any other. The single most important goal of the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) is to make sure that the open-source Android software is implemented as widely and compatibly as possible, to everyone's benefit (Google, Inc.).

In order to do this, Google and Thirty-four other companies formed an alliance “…to promote Android and to develop features and handsets to take advantage of the platform. Companies include handset manufacturers such as LG, HTC, Motorola and Samsung, chip firms such as Qualcomm and mobile networks like T-Mobile and China Mobile (BBC News, 2007).
Android was originally developed in 2003 by a Palo Alto, CA, Startup Company called Android Inc. whose cofounder Andy Rubin, made the move to Google when the company was purchased (Elgin, 2005). Android Inc. had previously been receiving financial backing from Google when they were purchased in 2005, and Google subsequently and took over development of the project (Goldsborough, 2014). It was not until 2008 that the first device to run Android, the HTC Dream was released to the public (Goldsborough, 2014). The iPhone, a household name by the time the HTC Dream was released, has only one manufacturer: Apple, Inc. Upon its introduction, it was also limited to the AT&T network (Dolan, 2007). As is clear from the statement on Google’s website, the intention to make available the Android platform to multiple manufacturers and carriers starkly contrasted Apple’s approach of controlling their hardware and software. Needless to say, competing manufacturers who were unable to produce iPhone devices, latched on to the availability of the Android platform and the infrastructure it provided. Early attempts at competing mobile OS’s often only included the programs made available by the manufacturer/carrier. This limited the possibilities for the end user, and Apple’s App Store provided the ability for users to install third-party applications which were thoroughly vetted by Apple and unable to harm the phone itself, since they did not have the appropriate permissions, and developers only had access to API’s (Application Program Interface) to interact with the iOS (Apple’s iPhone Operating System) and not access to the source code itself. With the Android infrastructure and Google Play Services, which includes the Google Play Store (which is analogous to Apple’s App Store), manufacturers had the ability to offer the flexibility and growth potential realized by the iPhone, while having the added bonus of being able to make changes and additions to the Android core source code to suit their own needs, and also offered the ability to manufacture devices that could operate on different carrier networks. According to Shay Benchorin, the Director of Marketing and Strategic Alliances for the embedded division of Mentor Graphics:
What Google’s done is put Android out there in a way that it’s seeded all the supporting infrastructure – and not just the apps developers, but people with knowledge that goes right into the source code – to grow very quickly. And something else that has happened is that you now have this huge, and growing, resource of specialists in low-cost markets working with the technology, innovating with it and keeping it robust (Dempsey, 2011).

Benchorin estimated that “…Android has cut the cost of building a phone by 90 per cent. People want to take those economies into other markets. Making products at a tenth of the price – it’s a no brainer (Dempsey, 2011).” Even more exciting for technophiles was the availability of the Android source code and full access to the same framework APIs used by Android’s core applications. According to Nimodia & Deshmukh (2012),
Android’s “…application architecture is designed to simplify the reuse of components; any application can publish its capabilities and any other application may then make use of those capabilities (subject to security constraints enforced by the frame-work). This same mechanism allows components to be replaced by the user. Underlying all applications is a set of services and systems.

Business Insider (2014) reported recently that Android’s market share now far surpasses that of the iPhone globally. This is supported by a recent study performed by ComScore (Lella, 2014). The availability and selection of devices that run the Android OS is massive, ranging from low-end devices to “flagship” devices that can virtually keep up with a desktop in terms of processing speed and memory. Devices are available on all carriers, and have been available in offer a wider range of selection than Apple’s specific selection of devices that run iOS. Android is now being adopted in Enterprise business environments, where demands on security and stability are paramount.
Android's open-source approach should not be ignored when compared to iOS 8's sharing capacity. Users are given the free will to modify their devices instead limiting the availability. You can always share and use the Cloud Storage on your Android device by downloading apps from the Play Store. (International Business Times, 2014)
This paper has attempted to outline differing methodologies used by Apple and Google in regards to iOS and Android. It has been the goal to illustrate that the usage of open source software by Google in the Android OS has produced a superior operating platform over time. Through the course of this examination, an attempt was made to explain why Android and its open source platform has benefitted manufacturers, consumers, and software developers alike. It is in this regard that the original claim of this paper, that Android is the superior OS, can be substantiated.
References
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