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Device makers must now add 'Powered by Android' to their devices or risk losing access to the Google Play Store

Google has updated their Google Mobile Services agreement for Android phones, adding the new mandate that each device must have a bootup logo that states "Powered by Android."

The new logo has its own guidelines, as well, and must be present for devices to keep their access to the Google Play Store and other Google services.



This new move certainly makes sense for Google. Google is a globally known household name, but not everyone knows Android is the operating system on their, for example, brand new Galaxy S device. By adding the logo during boot up, Google hopes to make the operating system more widely known, no matter who is your OEM of choice.

On new devices, like the Galaxy S5 and the all-new HTC One M8, the companies are already using the new logo, underneath the classic green Android robot and their own name.




Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 29 Mar 2014 17:30

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• 8 comments

• A5J4DX

  this is an interesting turn and rightfully so...
  

  29.3.2014 17:49 #1

• scorpNZ

  Shouldn't that be "Operated By Android"
  

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  29.3.2014 18:10 #2

• Ripper

  Not surprised, should be par for the course anyway IMO
  

  
  

  29.3.2014 21:19 #3

• dRD

  Kinda kick in the groin for Samsung, who has quite nicely made its Galaxy a synonym for its smartphones. That strategy has always kept the door open for Samsung to switch its entire smartphone line to use some other OS (say, Tizen) if Google would ever start to squeeze the manufacturers too tightly.
  
  Then again, now that Moto is off Google's hands, Samsung is probably much less worried about its partnership with Google..

  30.3.2014 12:17 #4

• Ripper

  I don't think Samsung really want to start fighting Google on things like this when they already have a nice legal back and forth going with Apple.
  
  They needn't worry either, I shouldn't think. One has to assume that Samsung plans to move away from Android favouring an in-house OS at some point, and perhaps now that will come sooner rather than later, but I'm sure they can suck it up for a while.
  

  
  

  30.3.2014 15:05 #5

• dRD

  Originally posted by Ripper: One has to assume that Samsung plans to move away from Android favouring an in-house OS at some point, and perhaps now that will come sooner rather than later, but I'm sure they can suck it up for a while. I think those plans were quite strong only few months ago, but now that Google saw the light and decided to sell its Motorola unit, IMHO Samsung is much more comfortable to co-operate with Google. Previously, there was always the untold thread of Google deciding to favor Motorola over other manufacturers.

  31.3.2014 03:17 #6

• Ripper

  True, and even if they hit-and-run on patents, I suppose the impact from their Nexus line isn't great enough for Samsung to be concerned about whichever manufacturer is currently producing it.
  

  
  

  2.4.2014 19:19 #7

• dario777

  No surprise, this is a natural evolution
  

  3.4.2014 12:16 #8