[abhn]

Problem is ... I suspect that the Wearables SDK will be another case of Google launching proprietary libraries on Android. I have no problem with proprietary, but a lot of people think that because it's Android, it is open. It isn't. Core Android gets slimmer, Google's tie-in to your business gets fatter (unless you re-write their APIs). As an example, developers followed the location APIs in to the Play SDK ... switching from an open, core API to the Play API without fuss. It's creep if you ask me.

[Navarr]

While true, Google has made a big mention of pointing out that everything in the Play SDK leverages their cloud, and that they make all the APIs that can't inside of AOSP.

You can still geolocate inside AOSP, it just isn't as efficient as getting the location Google already has for the user in their cloud.

Stuff like the new Printer APIs and the new Storage APIs are solid evidence that Google isn't closing up Android. Only opening it further and making it more useful for everyone.

Developers followed location APIs to Play SDK because it was more efficient. Better for battery, and faster. Who wouldn't make that switch?

[abhn]

I agree with you, I made the switch myself. My point is that rather than enhancing the Android core, many of these closed APIs seem locked down soley to give Google more data, ie when that key API has the potential to be a data broker.

[Navarr]

But since it's their internal infrastructure they can't not lock it down. Anything that is cloud-based has to be locked down. If at all possible, APIs for interacting with cloud-based services should be put into AOSP.