The generalization has been that the iPhone operating system is closed, while the Android OS is open. This is how is has been and always will be…right? Well, not really, as the new Bing app for Android reveals. It may be the dawn of de-unification for Android.

The Apple mobile operating system runs only the iPhone, iPod, and iPad. All compatible apps require Apple’s approval before they can be offered in the App Store. The Android operating system is provided by Google at no charge and can run on various phones offered by different mobile carriers. The average Joe can upload a new app to the Android Market, no pre-approval required.

Microsoft recently announced its Bing app for Android devices. What makes this app different from other Android apps is that it is not available for all Android users. The only Android devices that can access this app are those offered by Verizon. Sprint, AT&T, and T-Mobile Android device customers have been left out in the cold, for the time being.

The new Bing app was positioned as Verizon-exclusive in order to differentiate the mobile carrier from its competition. Verizon and Microsoft have a good relationship, thanks to the Verizon BlackBerry phones that feature Bing as their default Web search engine. This is not the first time the carrier has offered an exclusive app. The National Football League mobile app is also Verizon-exclusive.

App developers wield all the power in this situation. They decide whether the app will be carrier-specific. The developer simply activates a filtering device to limit app downloads to customers of certain carriers. In general, Android developers have not been using these filters because they promoted the open system environment. However, with this move by Verizon and Microsoft, that may all start to change. It sounds like the competition is about to heat up.

Related posts: