Samsung is pulling another Amazon on Android, but this is even bigger

As much as Google likes and touts that Android is open, that freedom may come with the cost of some control over the platform. Amazon may have started the first truly successful “fork” of Android, but Samsung is going after the whole place setting.

At this point, Samsung is taking advantage of its dominant position as the Android device leader to become the “de facto” Android phone and crush any remaining competition. Samsung has built its mobile business on Android and can now push forward with less “help” from Google. As long as Samsung remains a helpful partner in the Android ecosystem and properly licenses Google apps and services for devices, it’s not as if Google can wrest Android away from Samsung. Samsung has clearly become successful and profitable by pushing Android devices as well as adding its own add-on features and functions. “The new [Mobile] SDK … will make it possible to press a button on your phone to launch an online video stream, or even a game, on your TV. Sound familiar? That’s not really a coincidence -- but Samsung thinks that it can one-up its competition,” said GigaOm’s Janko Roettgers.