Since Google releases the source code for most versions of Android, any company that wants to load it on a phone, tablet, or other device can do that. But if you want to include Google Mobile Services (including the Play Store, Play Services, YouTube, and other core apps), you need to meet Google’s software compatibility requirements.
Now Google is making it easier for device makers to do that through a GMS Express program that allows device makers to use pre-approved builds of Android with Google Mobile Services (GMS).
One of the first partners is Taiwanese chip maker MediaTek, which says that it’s “already worked with several of its customers.”
The upshot? MediaTek says the time it takes to complete compatibility certification has been cut from three months to just one. According to MediaTek, participation in the program also reduces costs.
The chip maker says its processors are used in about 1.5 billion devices, including many of the phones and Android TV boxes produced by Chinese manufacturers. While Google Mobile Services isn’t as important for the Chinese market, the new GMS Express program could make it a lot easier for those companies to ship their products to other markets, where users expect access to features like the Google Play Store.
via xda-developers
I wonder if this means LESS bugs and instability with MTK devices.
I still say avoid them until proper reviews can be studied.
MediaTek has been a big bully to Chinese OEMs for years, and developer-hostile… which resulted in Tens of Millions of devices with problems.
Until MTK abides by the law and releases kernels, sources, drivers, and documentation…. people then really are at the mercy of their initial purchaser. And Qualcomm’s shady antics don’t help the industry neither, there’s a good reason why ST Ericson, Texas Industries, Intel, and NVIDIA have pulled out from the SoC market…. just no way to compete with Samsung’s fab, Qualcomm’s patents, and MediaTek’s prices.