Google will now keep Android development a secret - until official release

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET Google plans to move all development of Android OS behind closed doors so that the process will no longer be visible to the public. This change is a big shift for Android, which has long allowed developers -- and anyone, really -- to peek behind the curtain. Also: The best Android phones to buy But don't worry -- the average person won't notice a difference. Here's what's going on, why it's happening, and how it will affect you. What's changing with Android? Until now, Google has been developing Android in two main branches: a private internal branch and a public one called AOSP (Android Open Source Project). AOSP allowed anyone to see and contribute to Android's development, but Google's internal team did most of the work behind the scenes. AOSP's public branch would often lag behind the private branch, meaning new features and updates were visible to developers much later than they were in the private version of Android. Also: Your Android phone wil ... Read full article.