Why Google Android software is not as free or open-source as you may think

The idea that Google’s Android mobile software is both “free” and open-source is so often repeated that it is virtually an article of faith online. There’s only one problem: neither is strictly true.

While the basic Android software is indeed available for free, and can be downloaded, compiled and changed by anyone, it doesn’t include the apps that make up Google’s mobile services - such as Maps, Gmail, and crucially Google Play, which allows people to connect to the online store where they can download apps. Without them, a device has only minimal functionality. To get the key apps, a manufacturer needs a “Google Mobile Services” (GMS) license. GMS licenses are issued on a per-model basis. While Google does not charge a fee for the license, one of the integral steps in the license-application process requires payment to authorized Android-testing factories. These factories, which include Foxconn and Archos, charge a fee for carrying out the testing required to obtain a GMS license, which the Guardian understands is negotiated on a case-by-case, per-manufacturer basis. The Guardian understands that in one example, testing costs $40,000, payable 50% up front and 50% at the completion of testing for a model with an expected run of at least 30,000 units. The source said Google and its testing partners were being intentionally vague about the fact that a cost is associated with acquisition of a GMS license, even if the license itself is free.