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Comment by pjmlp

13 hours ago

Except OEMS don't ship Windows forks with their own SDKs, UI frameworks, custom L&F, alternative stores.

Contrary to Google, Microsoft has a clear position on what OEMs are allowed to do with Windows.

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pjmlp

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Matl  13 hours ago

Android OEMs largely don't do that either except for some specific markets where Google isn't a thing. Google does have rules for when you want to be certified and have Google Play and Google services on board, which you mostly do in the West and so OEMs comply.

Sure, they may ship a Samsung skin or preload some of their own junk, same as on Windows. That doesn't make what they ship a different OS.

The one exception would be HarmonyOS, but that's somewhat China specific.

  • pjmlp  11 hours ago

    Xioami, Huawei and Samsung all have the points I mentioned, with Android forks.

    Harmony NEXT is no longer based on Android.

    • Matl  10 hours ago

      > Xioami, Huawei and Samsung all have the points I mentioned, with Android forks

      If I buy a Samsung phone in North America or Europe today I get Google Play as the main app store, Google services etc. and if I want to develop an app for a Samsung Android phone, I use the official Google SDK and Kotlin like for every other Android phone.

      They have their own skin and store, but nobody really uses that. Google Play it is, be it Samsung or Xioami. They're very far from offering any kind of genuine alternative to Google Play, Google or Android. Their stores are junkware no different than ASUS preinstalling some antivirus nobody wants.

      > Harmony NEXT is no longer based on Android.

      That's my point. Huawei is the only OEM offering something different, but not easy to get in Western markets and thus doesn't have app mindshare.

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