Android N's Subtle File Structure Change May Mean Big Things

Thanks to Android Central, they've uncovered an interesting file structure change in the first Android N developer preview, which could mean huge things for the future of Android. This is almost all speculation and hope that Google is actually doing this, so if you don't want to be potentially disappointed, don't continue.

Google has been heavily criticized in the past and present for its fragmentation. Well over half of Android users are on a pre-Lollipop version. Lollipop was released at the end of 2014. Many compare this to Apple's total control of the OS and consider it a terrible thing. In fact, I wrote a post about fragmentation quite a while ago. I think it is a user issue, but if Google can step up its game and gain more control over updates, I certainly won't complain. And that's exactly what Google may be trying to do with this structure change.

The structure change is very subtle, Google is separating Android's core OS and UI elements. But why? Google has to have done this for a reason. Android Central speculates that it's because they're going to push OS updates directly to skinned devices like Samsungs, without interfering with the OEM's skin. These OS updates could involve security updates, new features, API updates, etc. If Google can gain control of the under-the-hood updates, it will greatly increase the security of everyone's devices. Usually when a major vulnerability is found, something a hacker can exploit, Google fixes it fairly quickly. Nexus devices receive monthly security updates to combat this. Unfortunately, these fixes do not reach most other devices running Android for sometimes months. That's because OEMs like Samsung, HTC, and LG have to take this Android update that Google has released and apply their skin to it again, as well as bug test. Depending on individual OEMs to deliver the security updates that Google releases is like the U.S. government depending on civilian militias to defend the country. Security is much more air-tight when updates can be applied to most Android devices right from the source of the patch. Not only is this move better for security, it makes it easier for OEMs to skin Android to their liking without completely messing with core system files. This means faster, less buggy skinned devices. When most Android devices are skinned, this is a big deal.

But let's look at the downside. It's no secret that I'm not a huge fan of skinned versions of Android, which is why I have a Nexus. But this change, making it easier to skin, would fragment Android in a way that may cause different skins of Android to be too different. When Google has an idea for a UI, and Samsung wants something else, and HTC wants something else too, we have a race of competing design standards that could clash when these are all on the same, core platform. My only hope is that if Google does go through with this change, they create more rigid rules for OEMs. But that's just me.

Either way, if Google does do this, it's going to be good for pretty much everyone. It's going to increase security and keep devices updated without waiting on OEMs to push updates through. Let's just hope that that's what Google is actually doing with this subtle change.