Google is initiating a major change in how the Android operating system is developed by taking all the development to an internal private branch. This transition represents a reversal of the firm’s almost twenty-year-old policy of open-source development, when aspects of it were open for public access. Even with the change, however, Android will still be open-source, as the entire source code will still be released at the time when new versions are finalized.
In the past, Google maintained two Android development branches: one for public use, or the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), and one private internal branch. The public branch was accessible to everyone and open to being contributed to as part of the development cycle, while the private branch was not accessible to anyone who was not Google or a company holding a Google Mobile Services (GMS) license. However, working with these two branches was likely to result in complexity and blend conflicts, particularly in introducing changes from the public branch to the internal branch.
By shifting all development to the internal branch, Google is seeking to streamline its processes and reduce technical barriers. The shift is expected to enhance efficiency and make it simpler for developers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to navigate through the workflow. The shift also comes as Google has recently transitioned to trunk-based development, which reduced some of the divergence between the public and private branches but still requires clunky merging processes.
For the average Android user, nothing will change. Phone updates, app functionality, and the general Android experience will remain unchanged. Developers and tech enthusiasts, however, will no longer be able to see real-time development activity and catch early hints of upcoming features. It will be hardest on platform developers, custom ROM developers, and tech journalists who have relied on AOSP commits for years to find out about Google’s future plans.
Despite the transition to private development, Google does make a concerted effort to establish the open-source identity of Android. Google will keep releasing the source code of newly released Android versions in AOSP, which still allows the greater community to have interaction and develop upon Android’s open-source foundation. It does so because it leaves developers free to focus on maintaining their applications without worrying about having to accommodate incoming changes to the platform.
The shift to in-house development is one aspect of Google’s broader effort to make the Android development process more efficient. While it alters the process’s historical openness, the assurance that Google will continue to release finalized source code keeps Android open for innovation and customization to the wider community. The strategic shift is reflective of Google’s efforts to align its product development strategy with the open-source philosophy that has contributed to the success of Android.
