Android doesn't put manufacturers in control. Manufacturers are inherently in control regardless of the OS. It's not like the iPhone/iPad takes control away from manufacturers because Apple is the only manufacturer, and they definitely have full control over iOS.
Your point is negated by Windows Phone 7. Manufacturers and carriers do not have much control over it. All they get is a bigger tile for one program and all preloaded stuff is easily uninstallable with a long press. No always-running battery sucking services in the background are allowed by Microsoft and the phone has to pass strict battery and hardware tests performed by Microsoft before it can be released.
So it is indeed accurate to state that Android puts manufacturers in control.
All they get is a bigger tile for one program and all preloaded stuff is easily uninstallable with a long press. No always-running battery sucking services in the background are allowed by Microsoft and the phone has to pass strict battery and hardware tests performed by Microsoft before it can be released.
This was new to me and sounds like an extra-ordinarily good idea.
Seems at last here is one lesson that google should learn from Microsoft.
The OEMs get a special section of the Marketplace where they can have special apps for just their phones. For example, the HTC apps cannot be installed on Samsung phones. This is a much better way for the OEMs to differentiate and add value rather than put in uninstallable software.
Is it important in the long run, if the one party who controls your device is a manufaturer or a software provider or both?
Because you can install software on your device without asking for permission, Android (and Windows7, OS X) already give the user much more control than iOS or Windows Phone.
