Google (News - Alert) has been able to keep the industry on edge the past few years with consistent rumors regarding a potential Google phone. While a specific Google phone may remain elusive, on Monday, the search giant released the software developer kit, or SDK, for Android and announced that it plans to set aside $10 million to give out as prizes to developers who create programs for the new platform.

Android is the result of the work completed by Andy Rubin and several other founders of Danger. Their newer venture, Android, was acquired by Google in 2005. Rubin shared much of Google’s plans with CNET.com this week.

The Android is being built as a mobile mashup platform. This new concept for cell phones enables the developer to stand on the system platform and take advantage of other developers’ work. As a result, developers can enjoy more flexibility, less work, faster turnaround and rapid prototyping.

As part of the SDK, there is a complete hardware emulator that runs on Mac, Windows, and Linux. This emulator of various devices provides different screen formats as well as the option to use, or not use, a QWERTY keyboard, with touch and without touch.

The Linux system was selected due to its positioning as a prevalent operating system. The kernel of the Android is Linux, allowing it to provide the benefit that it has already been ported to all the varieties of semiconductors that run in cell phones.

One of the design goals for the Android project is to deliver complete openness. The platform is designed to be open in a variety of ways. It offers open APIs and open source, making it open to inspection. Security will likely be a topic of focus for Android over time.

The incentive for Google in this business model is not readily apparent. The Android project does satisfy the universal-access component of Google’s mission. The company aims to make sure that on cell phones everywhere, consumers always have access to Google services.

Rubin also noted the importance of avoiding the creation of a fragmented environment. Developers often shun open source due to a lack of compatibility guarantee. In the Android SDK, there is a scripting engine that allows remote test scripts to be run on the emulator on a phone, in addition to a secondary compatibility test for support for services.

The Android platform is also designed to run in a variety of devices, including car navigation systems, set-top boxes, laptop computers and cell phones. Java will serve as the primary foundation for software running the Android platform.

The mobile market for Google appears to be strategically significant. With nearly 3 million cell phones being used today by people who take them everywhere, the company can ensure that people also take Google everywhere. For some, the Android will provide their first point to access the Internet.

According to Rubin, by making Android an open source project the company reduces the cost of software, which then reduces the cost of the cell phone. Android is built for the mid-market, not the expensive smartphones.

 

While Rubin readily shares his admiration for his iPhone, the Android is designed to compete in a completely different market. Considering the success of the iPhone and Apple’s (News - Alert) hold on the market, ensuring the Android platform can go into a lot of different products, ensures a better chance of wide and rapid adoption. 

 

Rubin shared that consumers will not see devices until next year and pleaded the Fifth on whether or not there will be an actual Google phone.