'Android Ranks as the Most Closed' Open Source OS [InfoGraphic]

Out of eight open source operating systems, 'Android ranks as the most closed project', according to a new study by VisionMobile.

On Monday, VisionMobile published The Open Governance Index which takes an in depth look at the relative openness of Android, Qt, Symbian, MeeGo, Mozilla, WebKit, Linux and Eclipse.

Qt was found to be the most open platform with an Open Governance Index of 58% while Google's Android ranked last.


"Android ranks as the most closed project, with an Open Governance Index of 23%, yet at the same time is one of the most successful projects in the history of open source," VisionMobile wrote in its report. "Is Android proof that open governance is not needed to warrant success in an open source project?"

"Google has made Android available at 'less than zero' cost, since Google's core business is not software or search, but driving eyeballs to ads," the report states. "As is now well understood, Google's strategy has been to subsidise Android such that it can deliver cheap handsets and low-cost wireless Internet access in order to drive more eyeballs to Google's ad inventory."

"Android would not have risen were it not for the billions of dollars that OEMs and network operators poured into Android in order to compete with Apple's iconic devices," the firm wrote. "As Stephen Elop, Nokia's CEO, said in June, 2011, 'Apple created the conditions necessary for Android.'"

Take a look at the infographic below based on their study.


Read More [via BGR]