In 2007 when the world was first introduced to the Open Handset Alliance and their goal of developing open standards for mobile devices we were thrilled.  Quickly thereafter the OHA’s first product was unveiled, Android, a mobile device platform with the goal of reinventing the smartphone landscape.  Now that Google has been able to develop Android into arguably one of the best mobile platforms on the market we begin to wonder whether they’ll be able to quickly deliver software updates to so many devices across the world.

The worries of Google delaying software updates stems from the release of a single device, the Motorola Droid.  Being the first device to ship with Google’s Android 2.0 OS, existing owners of Android devices immediately wanted to know when their device would see such an update.  Up until Android 2.0, all builds of the mobile platform had been open source and under an Apache License.  At this point Android 2.0 remains a closed source OS and there has been no official word on whether this will change.

Up until this point in the U.S., T-mobile has been the front runner in the Android campaign since they were one of the first members of the OHA in 2007.  Google has done a good job pushing software updates to both devices over the air albeit with a few hiccups.  The reason for this success is that both devices are ‘Google Experience’ phones which basically means Google controls all aspects of the software resulting in a default Android build.  Theoretically this means that ‘Google Experience’ devices will be the first to receive updates and all other Android-powered devices will require customization from their respective manufacturers.

As it stands today, HTC is focused on driving their Sense User Interface into the Android platform.  Motorola has also realized the power of a fresh UI on Android with MOTOBLUR.  This method of unique branding which results in what we consider a superior Android experience comes at the cost of delayed OS updates.   You can see this first hand with the mysterious Android 1.6 update that never hit the HTC Hero which is now reported to receive the Android 2.0 update in the the near future.  Does this mean that non-Google Experience devices will miss smaller Android updates and instead only be updated to major versions?  If Google needs to release and updated build of Android to address security concerns will we really have to wait until Sense UI can be compatible?

These questions are being echoed throughout the Android community, but an even bigger question is on my mind.  Is Google looking to power play Android 2.0 so wireless carriers can lure customers through exclusive devices and first access to OS builds?  Congress is working on eliminating exclusivity deals between manufacturers and wireless carriers so exclusive access to mobile platforms seems to be the likely evolution.  When the Motorola Droid for Verizon Wireless was released last week and it became the first and only Android 2.0 device on the market I began to seriously doubt whether Google would be able to deliver timely updates of Android to so many devices.

There are not many reasons to want an iPhone once you have the Motorola Droid, but if there is anything that Google and the OHA can take away from Apple’s strategy it is the consistency and availability of software updates.  All devices receive their updates on the same day world wide and no device is left behind.  The current position of Android is becoming very similar to Windows Mobile where certain devices receive updates and it all ultimately relies on the carrier for your device to deliver that update.  This is not the Android I signed up for two years ago and I hope that this is not the Android of the future.

The massive marketing blitz by Verizon Wireless over the past couple weeks has finally paid off for Motorola and the wireless carrier.  Early reports indicate that over 100,000 Motorola Droids were sold over the opening weekend.  Despite the higher upfront cost of $299 before $100 mail-in rebate, the Droid was able to sell a large volume of units amid rumors that Apple would be releasing a low-cost 8GB iPhone 3GS for $99.  One thing is for certain at this point, Motorola and Verizon have put together an excellent device thanks to Google’s Android OS and it should not be long before we reach the 1 million unit mark.  Viva la droid my friends, Android is here to stay.

[Via Bloomberg]

We love a good Android port and in the latest YouTube offering we get to see Android 1.5 in action on the HTC Touch or HTC Elf as some of you know the device.  Thanks to the OMAP850 processor and simple cab file you can be off an running Android on your own Wing/Touch/Elf in no time.  Follow the steps in the video for your full rundown on how to get the Android 1.5 building on your own device in no time.

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Talk about a way to ruin Halloween Droidfanatics, Peter Chou the president of HTC has confirmed today that there will be no Android version of the HTC HD2.  We have seen images of a rumored Android HTC HD2 set to launch on Verizon Wireless as the third device in their Droid series, but apparently the HD2 is not that device.  We will not completely dismiss this possibility just yet simply based on the prior track record of manufacturers confirming and denying devices, but we can’t say we aren’t a bit disappointed.   Hopefully this is just a PR spin tactic that will allow HTC to avoid confrontation with Microsoft and iron out their future with Google’s Android operating system.

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Whether your are looking to use Skype, Twitter, Google Talk or just about any other messaging client or Internet Voice Service (SIP), Fring is the device of choice for the mobile platform.  Beyond the fact that the software is free and currently available for Symbian, Windows Mobile and iPhone users, the software delivers as promised.  Today we have news that Fring is currently developing a version of their software for Android devices and will begin by delivering a beta version of their software to 25 lucky Italian contestants on the Fring Italy Blog.  While this is not an absolute indication of an impending worldwide launch it is a start, a good one at that.  In order to be selected as one of the 25 lucky souls who will be testing Fring for Android you must be following Fring on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/fring and stay posted to their feed as the details on what it takes to be selected will be announced tomorrow.

[Via Fring]

This evening a foreign website is reporting that Google might be gearing up to release their own brand of mobile phones.  Rather than using Motorola, Samsung or Dell, Google will focus on their own brand much like Apple and the iPhone, but even take things a step further by bypassing the national carriers and selling the phone without contract.  The website claims that this is all part of Google’s focus on the new generation of open standards designed to bring mobile Internet devices to consumers.  With the current limitations mobile carriers enforce with exclusive devices it makes more sense for Google to embody the the open standards by selling the device direct to the consumer instead of forcing them to be at the mercy of their current wireless carrier.

So what do we know about this alleged Google brand of Android phones?  Well the focus of the project will be centered around the Qualcomm Snapdragon platform with an overall goal of delivering open, low-cost network-friendly touch-screen devices.  Maybe those classic renderings of the original Google Phone have a bit more credibility now that Android has established itself as a player in the smartphone market.

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The Bluetooth SIG website has once again proven to be an invaluable tool for those of us who live and breath Android and unreleased gadgets, specifically smartphones.  The website has just listed a new device, the Huawei G6600, and it is expected to be released to Europe, Asia, South American and Africa.  What makes the G6600 special is that it is rumored to be sporting Android and could be the QWERTY low-cost alternative to the T-mobile Pulse.  While we sort through the paperwork and uncover more details about the G6600, go ahead and take a look at the Bluetooth SIG website for yourself.

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Voice recognition has always been an issue for smartphones, but in the our latest user submitted App Review, Billkos has proven that Google Voice Search on the Android platform is raising the bar.  After a quick voice search for “epigenetics new england journal,” the web browser quickly opens and returns the expected result.  For those in the medical community the voice recognition alone on Google Voice Search could prove to be an invaluable asset.  Enjoy the quick video Android fans.

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The solid SDK and attractive business model has lured many developers towards writing applications for the iPhone.  Today, Airplay has created a way for developers with a cost-effect way of creating applications for iPhone, Android, Symbian, Windows Mobile and BREW devices after only compiling their application once to native CPU instructions. Airplay takes care of the vagaries of the various underlying OSes so that developers need not be steeped in detail; it also deals with handset differences such as screen size and input type, again simplifying the task for the developer.

Developers with annual revenues of less than $50,000 can use Airplay SDK for iPhone development absolutely free, or deploy to all platforms at a cost of $99 per seat per year. Those with an annual turnover between $50,000 and $1m pay $999 per seat per year, and receive an increased level of support. For organisations earning over $1m annually, a per-application fee is payable, available on request. All developers can register and download a full free evaluation of Airplay SDK 4.0 by visiting www.airplaysdk.com.

Following the footsteps of Motorola, Sony Ericsson is expected to being parting ways with Windows Mobile in favor of the newer and arguable better Android OS.  Sure at DroidFanatic we might be biased in our ways, but honestly after a batched Windows Mobile 6.5 launch filled with lackluster features what exactly are people waiting for from Microsoft to warrant giving the OS another shot?  According to our friends at CoolSmartPhone, Sony Ericsson is expected to begin their Android assualt on November 3rd according to a new site setup by the manufacturer: http://www.sonyericsson.com/whatsnext/

What is interesting about this landing page is that the link embedded on the site directs you to http://www.sonyericsson.com/?cid=son_rachael_global_20091026 but of course that link is not active yet and probably will remain that way until the November 3rd announcement.  Luckily we’ve become very familiar with the device codenamed Rachael, Sony Ericsson Xperia X3, but we were under the impression that the device would not be launched until January of 2010.