Android’s basic nuts and bolts are free for anyone to use and modify however they want. But if a smartphone vendor wants its devices to come preloaded with key Google apps such as Gmail and Maps, it has to play by Google’s terms. Ars Technica reports that several new leaked documents show how Google at least maintains some control of Android among its major manufacturing partners by putting some strict licensing terms on any vendor who wants to make a device with the Google Play Apps package installed. The Google Play Apps package includes most of the key apps that make an Android phone an Android phone, including most importantly the Google Play app store. Ars notes “the most important
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