Android devices using Google Play Services will now use ‘Powered by Android’ branding

March 27, 2014

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Powered_By_Android_Boot_Sequence_HTC_One_M8

In a very smart move, Google is mandating that Android manufacturers use “Powered by Android” branding on their devices. The HTC One (M8) and Samsung Galaxy S 5 are the first devices to do this. This “Powered by Android” branding will appear during the boot sequence in both phones, and we suspect all future Android phones. At least the ones that use Google Play Services.

I'm surprised Google didn't mandate this from the very beginning. If you think about it, with all the manufacturer custom UIs such as TouchWiz and Sense, mainstream consumers have no idea that their own phone is running Android. Most people probably think these manufacturers are using their own proprietary software much like Apple is with iOS. Well in a way, they are, but at least they will know there are other options out there, even though the experience might not be identical.

source: Geek

Robert Nazarian Author

Robert lives in upstate New York where he was born and raised. Technology was always his passion. His first computer was a Radio Shack TRS80 Color that used a cassette tape to save programs, and his first laptop was a Toshiba T1200FB that sported a CGA greyscale screen and two 720kb floppy drives (no hardrive). From the early 90’s through late 2011, he only owned Motorola phones starting with the MircroTAC all the way through to the Droid X. He broke that streak when he bought the Galaxy Nexus. Now he's sporting a Galaxy Note 4, and absolutely loves it. He has a wonderful wife and a 6 year old son. In his free time he enjoys sports, movies, TV, working out, and trying to keep up with the rapid fast world of technology.

4 comments

Bobby Salvin says:

March 27, 2014 at 4:26 PM

That’s nice branding, but everyone knows their phones are running android.

Reply
1. Jared Peters says:
  
  March 28, 2014 at 1:59 AM
  
  The problem is not everyone actually knows that. Many consumers don’t know that a “Droid” and “Galaxy” are running the same software as any other Android phone. The educated consumers knows, but that’s not as common as it should be.
  
  Reply
  1. Scott Crosler says:
    
    March 28, 2014 at 2:20 AM
    
    I agree with you 100%
    
    Reply
  2. ShapesBlue says:
    
    March 28, 2014 at 6:19 AM
    
    You are correct but most people know the difference between the two phones mentioned in the article. People who just buy a phone for looks probably fall into this category
    
    Reply