Android News

During the latest blog format change, I reduced the amount of Android I cover.
Android is an incredibly rich platform and if you really want to know what's going on, try Android Authority, but be prepared to get quickly overwhelmed.

Here's a summary of what's been important in the Android world in the last few weeks:

As always, Samsung is a "leader":
Android benchmarks: Almost every major device maker is cheating - Liliputing

The Apple bloggers try to make a big deal of this, but to me it is just as sign that Android really is the #1 computing platform. Back in the days of workstations, benchmarks were cheated on (CPU and compiler). Then came the PCs (CPU and graphics cards), when that started, you really just knew that Windows was ruling the world. Now, the computing world has moved on once again.

Not only does Android ship the most devices per quarter, but its installed base has probably passed Windows. (Windows has long claimed a billion users (which realistically is a device count), though one thinks it might have shrunk a bit. Google claims 800 million Google Play devices. That would not include Amazon or White Box devices not using Google Play, so it is likely that Android now has more "users" (devices) than Windows.

Anyway, it is clear where the numbers and growth are, so the hardware folks are cheating there now. They shouldn't do it, but they do and they will.

Android has over one billion activations! - Android Authority

This next one I think is important because it points out some weaknesses in Android. One can only hope Google is thinking about these things.
With HP’s Slatebook X2, Android’s Not Ready for Work Yet | TIME.com

One reason I've not had much Android news is that most of it has been device or app news. Also, I don't like to cover rumors. However, some stuff does seem to be known about KitKat and the Nexus 5 [which may be called the Nexus 4 (2013) as the new Nexus 7 is Nexus 7 (2013)].
Google Partners with KitKat for the Next Version of Android (Not a Typo) | TIME.com

Nexus 5 design, Android 4.4 KitKat features detailed in new photo leak; LG-D821 gets second Bluetooth SIG sighting

At last it will be easy to find tablet apps.
Play Store change will make tablet apps more visible, starts Nov 21

Google did some research on Android's level of malware, this article covers it:
Contrary to what you’ve heard, Android is almost impenetrable to malware - Quartz