Google Charging OEMs Licensing Fees For Play Store 225
An anonymous reader writes "Google has begun charging OEMs for access to its proprietary Play Store applications for Android though the reported amount is as low as 75c per device. Between charging OEMs for Google Play apps, showing ads within these apps (Search, Maps and GMail) and profiling users with the data it collects this does show that Google is willing to leverage their stranglehold on the mobile market to control and monetize wherever it can. Add that these proprietary applications and the proprietary Google Play Services are the primary areas for Android innovation and development and you end up with an operating system that is less and less 'free' in the freedom and cost senses of the word."
Re: That's fair enough (Score:5, Informative)
Except that they don't. There is plenty of malware on the play store.
Re: Google already has a noose on manufacturers (Score:5, Informative)
Nonsense. Google Now voice activation only works on a few models (and can be switched off), plus the launcher with Now integrated is solely available for the nexus 5. Please stop the FUD.
Re: That's fair enough (Score:3, Informative)
Oh well, there is plenty of malware on the Apple app store as well. The Windows store is also full of malware.
These statements are just as unproven as the one you just made. If you back up yours with some evidence, I'm sure I can find some for mine...