Google, Apple and multi-touch
As reported by MG Singler over at VentureBeat, there is evidence to believe Apple successfully pressured Google to keep the multi-touch feature off of the first Android phone, the G1 from HTC, even though the phone has the capability to implement it. Â
If this is true, or if Google just feared what Apple would do if they implemented multi-touch, I have to say, it would severely disappoint this G1 owner. Â I fully realize that Android has compromises in regards to openness and hackability (the key features that drew me to it in the first place), but if Google of all people is so easily bullied away from innovation, that raises real questions about the value of the Android platform over the long haul. Hopefully this was a minor misstep that Google will learn from and never repeat, but it certainly bears very close scrutiny in the future.
