Slowly but surely Google has begun to tighten its hold on Samsung. In recent talks between the two companies, Google reportedly pressured Samsung to limit its customization of Android. Speculation is rife that Samsung will now increase its efforts to leave Android and forge its own path with Tizen.
Google and Samsung recently announced a groundbreaking 10-year patent deal, which allows both companies to use each other's patents within reason without penalty. The move was widely viewed as a strengthening of the bond between the two companies, but now, as new details regarding the talks come into light, it has become increasingly clear that all is not well in paradise.
When Samsung debuted its giant, 12.1-inch Galaxy Pro 12.2 tablet at CES 2014 with its brand-new Magazine UX interface, Google was not happy. Samung's new interface was vastly different from the design aesthetic Google hopes to achieve with Android. In fact, the Magazine UX was much closer to the tile style used by Flipboard and Microsoft's Windows 8 Metro UI.
According to Re/code's sources, Google quickly roped Samsung into intense closed-room discussions to hammer out the patent agreement deal and clarify Samsung's future with Android. At the end of the talks, Samsung made the following concessions: It will either drop or change the Magazione UX, it will incorporate Google's suite of apps on all of its devices and it will limit the promotion of its own app, movie and music stores. Essentially, Samsung agreed to eliminate nearly every important step it has taken to distinguish itself as a serious leader in the mobile industry.
Google wants Samsung to toe the line much like its other partner manufacturers do. Ironically, Google is following in Apple's footsteps, working hard to exert absolute control over its operating system. Much like Microsoft, Google is carefully lessening the influence of other software makers that might develop apps that can compete with its own suite of apps. On the surface, Google celebrates the open source nature of Android, but underneath it all, Google seems to be growing a bit evangelical about the Android aesthetic.
Naturally, Samsung does not like this at all. Part of Samsung's success lies in its ability to differentiate its Android-based mobile devices from all the other Android-based devices made by other manufacturers. Samsung was able to build its brand because of its unique software innovations, its original UI alterations and special app offerings. In the process, Samsung has also helped build the reputation of new app developers like SwiftKey, Evernote and more. If the reports prove true, the concessions Samsung made to Google are huge and could have lasting consequences.
However, many tech pundits believe that Samsung isn't taking this blow lying down. Rumors regarding Samsung's plans for Tizen have been batted around the Internet with increasing frequency since CES 2014. The launch of Samsung's first Tizen-based smartphone seems imminent. In fact, Tech Times recently reported that an image has leaked of Samsung's new Tizen smartphone, the ZEQ 9000. MWC 2014 is fast approaching and it could be the perfect venue for Samsung to declare its independence from Google and Android.
