Do Not Anger the Alpha Android

Playtime is over in Android Land. Over the last couple of months Google (GOOG) has reached out to the major carriers and device makers backing its mobile operating system with a message: There will be no more willy-nilly tweaks to the software. No more partnerships formed outside of Google’s purview. From now on, companies hoping to receive early access to Google’s most up-to-date software will need approval of their plans. And they will seek that approval from Andy Rubin, the head of Google’s Android group.

Wonderful, open Android. Is this what the carriers signed up for?

First news that the tablet version of Android isn’t exactly Open Source, at least not until Google decides they want to. Now Google is clamping down on what they are allowing partners to do with Android on phones. Now that Android is popular Google is pulling the rug out.