[Mathnerd314]

I guess it makes them more like Apple, having a vertically integrated division for making phones. TFA says it might make other phone manufacturers struggle. Although I get the impression they are already struggling with the Open Handset Alliance terms from Google that they don't like. Maybe the best outcome is that AOSP gets multiple active forks supported by manufacturers, Google apps stop being distributed by default, and the phone software ecosystem gets more decentralized in general.

[rickdeckard]

Forks supported by manufacturers don't work, because they only earn money when selling hardware. So they can't each operate a huge platform maintenance team on their own.

Also, the only glue that actually holds Android in place as a single platform is Google's CTS (compatibility test suite).

Without it being mandated for Googles Mobile Services (GMS) and its revenue-share, Android will stop being a single platform.

It will start drifting apart as soon as all vendors have to implement the next display/camera/sensor/form-factor support in the OS in parallel of each other...

[lawlessone]

The other manufactures are fine I think as google still build a quality phone to house their cutting edge tech.

[HeatrayEnjoyer]

Samsung is the dominant Android manufacturer by far.

[conradfr]

Would it be realistic for app developers?