Comment by kamikaz1k

True, but now I have to wonder how much MSFT would be charging Google for the privilege?

Or maybe a different company, like if Amazon didn't fail with Fire Phone. Perhaps that entity could have been more forgiving since they're not as aggressive with the same set of productivity services. But in general Google has lost that moat for the rest of the mobile era. At best they can hope for is a partnership.

Actually, imagine now homegrown Alternate-Android competitor that was based in China. Google would be cut from that too.