Android Wants to Be Truly Free

Rick Merritt, SiliconValley Bureau Chief
7/19/2018 01:01 AM EDT

Thanks for Android, Google. Now it's time you let it go.

Google deserves kudos for spawning a relatively open mobile ecosystem with Android. Of course, it was not an act of charity but part of a strategy to extend Google’s presence from the desktop to the mobile world.

Despite multiple high-profile lawsuits and years of dogged battle in a fast-moving, rough-and-tumble market, Android succeeded — beyond Google’s wildest dreams. The software is used in more than 70% of all smartphones today — more than a billion handsets a year, according to IHS Markit.

But it’s a mature market today, growing in mid-single-digits yearly, says IHS. Its hungry for more innovation, and Google can help by setting Android free.

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