Call it controlled leak or honest mistake, but according to TechFrom10, their Samsung Galaxy S phones started receiving a new test version of the Android Market this morning. Aside from a new “Content rating” section for apps, the new Market app is not that much different. However, this new version includes some interesting alpha and beta apps from Google. Among them is the upcoming Music app, which looks a lot like the baby brother of the Honeycomb version. You can download the app here if you’re of the adventurous type. (Update: TechFrom10′s servers seem to be down, luckily I had the app. You can get it here.)
The other three beta apps are “Google Gallery 3D New 10.2″, “‘Google – Camera v12″ and “Google Desk Clock 10″. By now everybody and their mothers knows a new version of the Music app is coming soon — probably launched along Google Music at something called Google I/O I hear is happening next month. But the other three apps are really surprising to see in the Android Market. Maybe this has something to do with that rumor we heard a year ago. It looks like Google is getting ready to decouple standard Android apps and components from the OS and start moving them to the Market. Apps like Mail, Gallery, Camera, Browser, Calendar, and Messaging would be available for everybody from the Android Market. Not only apps, but also things like the standard Android keyboard, widgets, and Launcher will be available for people running HTC Sense or TouchWiz.
Clearly, Google is trying to fend off this so-called “fragmentation” Android suffers from. By doing this, everyone with an Android phone will always have the latest version of all these apps – without waiting for an OTA update. Furthermore, those people running HTC Sense would be able to make their phone look just like a Nexus S by getting all these apps from the Market. It also allows Google to iterate these apps faster and fix bugs much quicker than it can now. Next step, figure out how to completely update Android from the Market app.
The other three beta apps are “Google Gallery 3D New 10.2″, “‘Google – Camera v12″ and “Google Desk Clock 10″. By now everybody and their mothers knows a new version of the Music app is coming soon — probably launched along Google Music at something called Google I/O I hear is happening next month. But the other three apps are really surprising to see in the Android Market. Maybe this has something to do with that rumor we heard a year ago. It looks like Google is getting ready to decouple standard Android apps and components from the OS and start moving them to the Market. Apps like Mail, Gallery, Camera, Browser, Calendar, and Messaging would be available for everybody from the Android Market. Not only apps, but also things like the standard Android keyboard, widgets, and Launcher will be available for people running HTC Sense or TouchWiz.
Clearly, Google is trying to fend off this so-called “fragmentation” Android suffers from. By doing this, everyone with an Android phone will always have the latest version of all these apps – without waiting for an OTA update. Furthermore, those people running HTC Sense would be able to make their phone look just like a Nexus S by getting all these apps from the Market. It also allows Google to iterate these apps faster and fix bugs much quicker than it can now. Next step, figure out how to completely update Android from the Market app.
