To me it's PR spending. Carriers do the advertising to consumers, Google pays the carriers, simple as that.
Yes, you might see it as unfair that when you're not using the carriers service they shouldn't get a kick-back, but there are far whackier things going in mobile 'phone land (e.g. Vodafone in the UK will sell you a femtocell so you can get signal at home, but if you make a call using it the minutes are deducted from your plan even though you bought the femtocell, you pay for the electricity, and calls are routed over your ADSL line which you pay for). If you add into that the complexities of trying to split the 30% you'll start to see some of the problems. What happens if you buy using WiFi then download via a cell signal?, or vice versa?, or you do it one way, factory reset your 'phone, and then re-download the app the other way? It's all about priorities, from what you've said yours is about ensuring your 'phone has the latest greatest version of Android, I suspect Googles is about getting an approved version of Android to as many users as possible, and the carriers are all about making money, and as Google and the carriers are the ones signing the contracts and doing the deals I'm afraid you're priorities are way down the list. Al. -- * Looking for Android Apps? - Try http://andappstore.com/ * ====== Funky Android Limited is registered in England & Wales with the company number 6741909. The views expressed in this email are those of the author and not necessarily those of Funky Android Limited, it's associates, or it's subsidiaries. On 10 Mar 2010, at 12:34, westmeadboy wrote: > I use a prepaid plan from here: http://www.blau.de > > I can see the idea of encouraging carriers to sell Android phones but > this seems like an unfair way to do it. There is a difference between > someone who uses the carrier network to buy a paid app and someone who > uses wifi. A difference in terms of carrier costs. Even when the > carrier network is used, the user is already paying for that. > > My point is this. When I choose a carrier, it has nothing to do with > whether they sell Android phones or not. It is completely independent. > When downloading over wifi AND using a carrier-free firmware, you > might as well give the 30% to the phone manufacturer (encourage them > to make more Android devices). Better still, give it back to me and > encourage me to buy more apps :) > > I thought Google was trying to make the carrier more transparent (like > with the sim-free Nexus One strategy)? > > On Mar 10, 1:18 pm, Al Sutton <[email protected]> wrote: >> Does your carrier market & sell Android devices? >> >> Al. >> -- >> >> * Looking for Android Apps? - Tryhttp://andappstore.com/* >> >> ====== >> Funky Android Limited is registered in England & Wales with the company >> number 6741909. >> >> The views expressed in this email are those of the author and not >> necessarily those of Funky Android Limited, it's associates, or it's >> subsidiaries. >> >> On 10 Mar 2010, at 12:04, westmeadboy wrote: >> >> >> >>> On Mar 10, 12:50 pm, Al Sutton <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> So if your firmware comes from a carrier, it's almost certainly going to >>>> have their property settings in it by default, and hence it doesn't matter >>>> where you are you're firmwares properties will determine the access you >>>> have. >> >>> All my devices came unlocked (i.e. not from a carrier) and so the >>> firmware is definitely not from a carrier. This is quite normal in >>> mainland europe. >> >>> I always have a (german) sim card in my device and so always see paid >>> apps but never access the Market over the carrier network. >> >>> It just doesn't make any sense that any cash should go to my carrier >>> since they have done absolutely nothing to support Android - at least >>> not for me. >> >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>> "Android Discuss" group. >>> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>> [email protected]. >>> For more options, visit this group >>> athttp://groups.google.com/group/android-discuss?hl=en. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Android Discuss" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/android-discuss?hl=en. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Discuss" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-discuss?hl=en.
