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0 pointswvenable3y ago0 comments

Isn't that a whole other level though? Google is being asked to stop forcing distribution of their software so other Android software can compete.

Either way, you're still going to have 2 operating systems: Android and iOS.

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kube-system3y ago

It’s a bit of a self reinforcing loop, though. Top apps are all on Google Play because everyone using Android (on this side of the GFW) is all but forced to stay in Google’s ecosystem.

The diversity of *nix based OSes are a testament to what could happen in the absence of monopolistic powers.

If it weren’t for Google’s stranglehold, Android probably would already be #2 to a fork made by Samsung.

wvenableOP3y ago

> The diversity of *nix based OSes are a testament to what could happen in the absence of monopolistic powers.

You mean how they all died and Linux became king?

The market cannot support diversity of operating systems -- users will flock to where the applications are and developers flock to where the users are. Only a small number of choices are ever sustainable.

If Android disappeared tomorrow and 10 operating systems were designed to replace it eventually there would be only 1 or 2 surviving.

If Samsung forked Android it will still need to run Android apps and therefore be Android. That's pretty much exactly what they do now.

kube-system3y ago

Darwin and FreeBSD have huge install bases, and can run many *nix applications, as android can too. OS developers often think about compatibility, at least, when they’re not contractually prohibited from creating their own OS to begin with.

There’s no technological reason that you can’t run popular Android apps on other OSes. Other OSes already support running Android apps. The primary reason this isn’t more common is anticompetitive.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

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kube-system3y ago

It’s a bit of a self reinforcing loop, though. Top apps are all on Google Play because everyone using Android (on this side of the GFW) is all but forced to stay in Google’s ecosystem.

The diversity of *nix based OSes are a testament to what could happen in the absence of monopolistic powers.

If it weren’t for Google’s stranglehold, Android probably would already be #2 to a fork made by Samsung.

wvenableOP3y ago

> The diversity of *nix based OSes are a testament to what could happen in the absence of monopolistic powers.

You mean how they all died and Linux became king?

If Android disappeared tomorrow and 10 operating systems were designed to replace it eventually there would be only 1 or 2 surviving.

If Samsung forked Android it will still need to run Android apps and therefore be Android. That's pretty much exactly what they do now.

kube-system3y ago

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse