Android N won't implement Oracle's proprietary Java APIs, Google confirms

Shawn Knight

Posts: 15,255   +192
Staff member

Google's next version of Android , tentatively known as Android N, won't implement proprietary Java APIs from Oracle. The mobile operating system will instead rely solely on OpenJDK which is an open-source version of Oracle's Java Development Kit.

A Google spokesperson confirmed the news with VentureBeat but declined to comment on the elephant in the room - its ongoing legal battle with Oracle.

The spokesperson said that as an open-source platform, Android is built upon the collaboration of the open-source community. As such, they plan to move Android's Java language libraries to an OpenJDK-based approach that'll create a common code base for developers to build apps and services.

The change will of course have a direct impact on developers, but perhaps not in the manner one would expect. The publication correctly points out that Google developers will likely appreciate the change as it simplifies the code on which they build apps. Specifically, it'll provide a common codebase rather than multiple codebases.

If simplifying things for developers was the only motivation, however, Google would likely have done so years ago.

Many believe that the ongoing legal dispute with Oracle is the primary reason for the change. One theory is that the change may indicate the two sides are working to settle the matter out of court. It's also plausible that Google is making the change to help protect itself in the future should it ultimately lose the suit.

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Android n ? wtf ? earlier they said marshmallow would be last version. but then again, ms said win 10 would be last but then they gave out 10.1
 
Android n ? wtf ? earlier they said marshmallow would be last version. but then again, ms said win 10 would be last but then they gave out 10.1
There will never be a "last" version of any OS, an OS that does not update will die. You can stop giving new names to your OS but there will always be a new one.
 
Android n ? wtf ? earlier they said marshmallow would be last version. but then again, ms said win 10 would be last but then they gave out 10.1
And what is this Windows 10.1 you're talking about? Did I miss something?
 
Android n ? wtf ? earlier they said marshmallow would be last version. but then again, ms said win 10 would be last but then they gave out 10.1

Darnit, I was really hoping for Android Z - Zeppole.

Fun Fact: Surprisingly, Zeppole, a pastry consisting of a deep-fried dough ball of varying size but typically about 4 inches in diameter originated in Italy and not America.
 
Android n ? wtf ? earlier they said marshmallow would be last version. but then again, ms said win 10 would be last but then they gave out 10.1
There will never be a "last" version of any OS, an OS that does not update will die. You can stop giving new names to your OS but there will always be a new one.
well, they did say that it was last os version, and it would now just get monthly security updates instead of version numbers.
 
Android n ? wtf ? earlier they said marshmallow would be last version. but then again, ms said win 10 would be last but then they gave out 10.1
And what is this Windows 10.1 you're talking about? Did I miss something?
yeah, ms gave out a "big" update for win 10 that was version 10.1 or 10.0.1
since I saw that, then im sticking with win 8.1 till win 11 comes :p just sux I have to unstall updates all the time. the upgrade to win 10 and the spy updates from win 10.
 
Android n ? wtf ? earlier they said marshmallow would be last version. but then again, ms said win 10 would be last but then they gave out 10.1
And what is this Windows 10.1 you're talking about? Did I miss something?
yeah, ms gave out a "big" update for win 10 that was version 10.1 or 10.0.1
since I saw that, then im sticking with win 8.1 till win 11 comes :p just sux I have to unstall updates all the time. the upgrade to win 10 and the spy updates from win 10.
Do you honestly think Windows 11 will be hugely different and have no call home code at all? You might as well upgrade now and learn the new UI and learn to turn off what call homes there are since Windows 10 is a rather good upgrade overall.
 
Android n ? wtf ? earlier they said marshmallow would be last version. but then again, ms said win 10 would be last but then they gave out 10.1
And what is this Windows 10.1 you're talking about? Did I miss something?
yeah, ms gave out a "big" update for win 10 that was version 10.1 or 10.0.1
since I saw that, then im sticking with win 8.1 till win 11 comes :p just sux I have to unstall updates all the time. the upgrade to win 10 and the spy updates from win 10.
Do you honestly think Windows 11 will be hugely different and have no call home code at all? You might as well upgrade now and learn the new UI and learn to turn off what call homes there are since Windows 10 is a rather good upgrade overall.
I tried win 10 and went back to win 8.1. after seeing random lags in games I always played with no problems what so ever. win10 had driver problems, errors on update, cant choose what updates u want and some apps had problems in win10. the new ie isnt even worth anything. it still comes with ie doesnt respond errors, and yes im using edge/cortana or what the biip they call the new modded ie. im used to the ui, and the win8 home bottom and start, and actually have no problems what so ever with it.
 
yeah, ms gave out a "big" update for win 10 that was version 10.1 or 10.0.1
since I saw that, then im sticking with win 8.1 till win 11 comes :p just sux I have to unstall updates all the time. the upgrade to win 10 and the spy updates from win 10.
Yes, but that's just an incremental update. Microsoft said they will do that from time to time. It's not like what they did with Windows 8.
 
yeah, ms gave out a "big" update for win 10 that was version 10.1 or 10.0.1
since I saw that, then im sticking with win 8.1 till win 11 comes :p just sux I have to unstall updates all the time. the upgrade to win 10 and the spy updates from win 10.
Yes, but that's just an incremental update. Microsoft said they will do that from time to time. It's not like what they did with Windows 8.
its still a windows version update, wich ms said would stop with 10. they talked about doing updates like back in win7 and ealier, with just an update 392843294, like that. not windows 10.0.1, 10.0.2 and so on. they also skipped service pack after windows 8, but just called it win 8.1 instead, and 8.1 is in theory windows 8 service pack 1.
 
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