Author Topic: Google invests $22 million in KaiOS  (Read 6833 times)

Martin Iturbide

  • OS2World NewsMaster
  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4713
  • Karma: +41/-1
  • Your Friend Wil Declares...
    • View Profile
    • Martin's Personal Blog
Google invests $22 million in KaiOS
« on: June 29, 2018, 02:10:27 pm »
Hi

I was just reading the OSNews site and found this news.

It is interesting for me because I always thought that the investment in developing an operating system was very limited on this days.

Quote
KaiOS Technologies Inc., developer of the emerging operating system for smart feature phones, KaiOS, today announced a $22M Series A investment from Google to help bring the internet to the next generation of users

There are some little details of the deal.
Quote
In addition to the investment, Google and KaiOS have also agreed to work together to make the Google Assistant, Google Maps, YouTube, and Google Search available to KaiOS users. These apps have been developed specifically for the KaiOS platform, which is entirely web-based, using open standards such as HTML5, JavaScript, and CSS.

KaiOS is based on Linux (Monolithic kernel) and Firefox OS which is strange because Google is also investing on other OS project called Fuchsia (Zircon kernel - Hybrid kernel). Maybe for Google 22M is only the tip for making an agreement to run their platform (Assistant, Maps, YouTube, and Search) on their OS.  Maybe DuckDuckGo can give some money for the Firefox port if we change the default search tool for the browser :)  -joke-

Anyways, it is always interesting for me to check out how all the OSes chips are moving and how are they evolving.

Regards
Martin Iturbide
OS2World NewsMaster
... just share the dream.

Martin Iturbide

  • OS2World NewsMaster
  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4713
  • Karma: +41/-1
  • Your Friend Wil Declares...
    • View Profile
    • Martin's Personal Blog
Re: Google invests $22 million in KaiOS
« Reply #1 on: June 29, 2018, 02:17:28 pm »

Maybe someday we will see the a news headline like: "Google invests a $20 Google Play Coupon in OS/2".    ;D ;D ;D
Martin Iturbide
OS2World NewsMaster
... just share the dream.

ivan

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1557
  • Karma: +17/-0
    • View Profile
Re: Google invests $22 million in KaiOS
« Reply #2 on: June 29, 2018, 02:23:40 pm »

Martin Iturbide

  • OS2World NewsMaster
  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4713
  • Karma: +41/-1
  • Your Friend Wil Declares...
    • View Profile
    • Martin's Personal Blog
Re: Google invests $22 million in KaiOS
« Reply #3 on: June 29, 2018, 03:15:36 pm »
Hi

Thinking a little bit more about the subject. I would not be against for an OS/2 open source project to compromise something in return on money that would help their development.

For example an hypothetical situation: If some company like Google, Yahoo,  DuckDuckgo will offer money to Bitwise to be the default search engine for some years on their Firefox (or other browser) port. Since the final product is free of charge and open source, and also the final user will be able to change the default search engine, it would not upset me.

Maybe on commercial software, when the customer is already paying for the license of use, and in addition they are making some extra money on this kind of deals it would upset me more.

Regards

Note: This is "hypothetical" and part of a "what if" discussion, there is no illuminati conspiracy.
Martin Iturbide
OS2World NewsMaster
... just share the dream.

Dave Yeo

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4787
  • Karma: +99/-1
    • View Profile
Re: Google invests $22 million in KaiOS
« Reply #4 on: June 29, 2018, 04:29:17 pm »
  Maybe DuckDuckGo can give some money for the Firefox port if we change the default search tool for the browser :)  -joke-

Well SeaMonkey gets some money every time a search is done by its default search engine of DuckDuckGo, so who knows.

xynixme

  • Guest
Re: Google invests $22 million in KaiOS
« Reply #5 on: June 30, 2018, 12:29:39 pm »
Quote
Maybe on commercial software, when the customer is already paying for the license of use, and in addition they are making some extra money on this kind of deals it would upset me more.

Lords knows what data of customers will be sold to Google, since customers cannot control nor manage the deal. Nor conditions, like being forced to switch to another solution due to a lack of upgrades or self-destruction of the initial "free" product. Without the usual legal protection. If niche markets would be protected, then we'ld have an actually Ported DF by Adobe and a recent Microsoft Office for OS/2. So thank Goodness niche markets aren't protected. YouTube free and fast, alternatives paid for and slower.

If there would be such a product as FF for OS/2, funded by the funding providers of Mozilla, then the deal will be better. I'm afraid the size of the market does play a role, so you'ld need a larger entity to join. Mozilla, or e.g. united independent OSes with a combined significant market share. Like a Russian OS, to avoid America's OSes.

It won't be as easy as just having to find such a sponsor, and it may be as hard as finding a fully free popular browser. I.e. no DuckDuckGo funding, and so on. It's a hardly protected niche market. A niche market without meaningful competition to be protected. Microsoft isn't allowed to add all apps to its OS, but apps have been added to eCS and ArcaOS. Sometimes one may even be forced to use their products, like an installer. No competition, no need for all types of legal protection.