Why Wont AT&T Set Android Free

AT&T, being the last major cell phone company to offer an Android device has constantly put itself in the spotlight for questioning. What kind of questioning do you ask? How about "Hey, why don't you allow things as they are?" or even "If your going to do something, why cant you just do it properly?" Now im pretty sure that there are die hard Android fans out there wondering why AT&T cripples its Android devices...

But just because something doesn't do what you want doesn't mean it's crippled.

AT&T currently does not allow for its Android customers to install third party applications. How is this usually done? In the settings of any (other than AT&T's) Android handsets, the user has the option for allowing or disallowing the phone from accepting any application from outside of the official Android Market or in other words, third party applications.

When the Motorola Backflip first arrived on AT&T's scene, Android fan boys were happy enough that AT&T finally accepted Android, even if it did limit its capacities. However, the more AT&T releases new Android handsets is the less these fan boys become OK with the "limitations."

The most recent phone that caused this stir is the HTC Aria. This is AT&T's first high end Android smartphone. Resembling a mini HTC Incredible.

But seriously though... how much does it matter?

Not much. Most people who buy an Android handset are less likely to even know how to install a third party app, much less have the need to do so.

The only limitation I could see as posing a threat to the Android experience on AT&T is the fact that you are unable to remove the AT&T bloatware applications. Either way, I have thought up possible reasons to why AT&T won't set Android "free."

Here they are:

1. To 'protect' its users- Security is always something to be concerned with. Its quite possible that AT&T would rather avoid any possible threat.

2. They have Apple- Its no secret, Google and Apple are at a mobile OS war. I wouldn't be too surprised if AT&T and Apple made an agreement against allowing a full blown Android handset to its line up. We could also exclude Apple from this and say that AT&T just wants to be 'faithful' to Apple. I mean Apple isnt THAT evil... is it?

At the end of the day it's either you like the phone or you don't and switch carriers. If your contract isn't stopping you then dont complain, and even if it is... we dont want to hear your complains either way. Just wait it out.

And remember, in a world that offers you freedom.... oh wait, AT&T screwed that up.