In short: Google has confirmed that it will now develop Android privately as part of its efforts to streamlin the development process. However, the company has assured users and developers that the operating system will remain open source, and it will continue to release the source code for new Android versions.
Google told the Android Authority that it would take all Android development to its internal branches next week, which would mark a significant change from the system that has been for about 16 years. Currently, the share of development is on the public AOSP gerrit, while the rest is done privately.
While the AOSP branch is accessible to all, Google’s internal branch is only available for companies with Google Mobile Services Licensing Agreement. The AOSP is an open source, while GMS is not. Instead, Google licensed GMS for free to device manufacturers, provided they follow specific terms and conditions. Some companies with GMS agreements include Samsung, Xiaomi and OnePlus.
According to Google, its current two-dimensional development approach creates challenges for both the company and its partners. Development on the AOSP Gerit often lags behind the internal branch of Google, which delays rolling new features, fixing bugs and addressing security weaknesses. Additionally, the merger code between the two branches reportedly introduces errors – a problem that is to solve the new policy.
Google claims that the purpose of change is not an obstacle to the third-party developers, but to streamline the development process. The company states that it will continue to accept the code contribution from external developers to AOSP, while “maintaining full control over the merger to ensure” the vitality of Android as a platform and as an open-source project “.
In the form of Android Authority notes, components such as build systems, update engines, Bluetooth stacks, virtualization framework and Celinx configuration are currently developed as part of the AOSP stack. However, from next week, they will move to the internal branches of Google. Consequently, the source code for these components will be released only when Google publishes a new branch which includes changes.
For final users, the policy shift is unlikely to have any noticeable effect. However, developers may have some inconvenience due to low public source code release for some Android components. He said, Android update should remain unaffected, as most manufacturers with GMS agreement will continue uninterrupted access to the internal branch of Google.
