Un-Googling Android = Bad News for Everyone

Apparently, Verizon inked a deal to have Bing replace Google as the default engine in the new Samsung Fascinate smartphone. If remembered correctly, Google is the daddy of Android and, thus, removing Google as the search engine is like castrating a father before he can hatch offspring. Does this make sense? No. It doesn't. It's corporate politics and it's another classic example of "bloatware" that infected so many Dell, HP/Compaq, etc. computers throughout the '90s and the early 21st century. Now, where the computer manufacturers are no longer gaining as much revenue and ad space through home computers, the cell phone carriers and cell phone manufacturers are vying for control over the mobile space through questionable actions - such as replacing Google with Bing on a smartphone.


What will this prove? Hopefully, this will prove that customers and consumers can vote with their wallets and let it be known that if Android is the operating system of choice (which polls keep pointing toward, what with their recent upshot past iOS), then that means ALL Google services are wanted with the device - not just the services the carriers "feel" are best for us, in general. Verizon has already been practicing this with BlackBerry devices, but RIM is a company on the fence - they have no stake in any advertising or search operations. Google, however, has stake in both and they provide services and content for ease of use and a better overall customer experience. For instance, Verizon is rumored to be hindering or stopping Navigation services Google is offering for free through their Android software, in order to provide customers with pay-for options. Is this what we, as the consumers, have come to expect? Is this what we will continue to pay for? Hopefully, Google takes a page out of Apple's book and starts dictating terms a little harsher in the future - all Navigation services will be included, unrestricted and Google will not be replaced by Bing, a rival search engine. As a side note, Microsoft is already getting revenue from HTC for use of Sense UI, so when will it end? It seems as if Microsoft is becoming that annoying fly in the restaurant while you're trying to enjoy your porterhouse steak and potatoes au gratin.


The time to end these practices is now and we, as consumers, must vote with our voices and wallets. For those who want the full experience of Android, BlackBerry, and even webOS, must let it be known that anything less will not be tolerated.