Google is changing things up these days. As we reported on earlier this week, it appears that Google wants “Powered by Android” present on all devices running Android. Obviously that’s for Android and not forked Android like the Nokia X and the Amazon Kindle Fire HDX. Earlier this week we ran a post about how it might be a rumor that Google wants this “Powered by Android” message on the boot screens for any Android device that gets Google Mobile Services certification, it appears that it is now a requirement, and we have confirmation of that as well.
We know that Google doesn’t mind manufacturers and OEMs theming up their devices and having overlays on top of stock Android, in fact it sometimes makes the OS even better, other times it just gets worse. So Google has added another requirement for GMS certification, which is to add the “Powered by Android” message on the boot screen. So when you boot up your device you will see “Powered by Android”, which is cool actually. It’s not a huge deal, or even like having three logos on your device, it’s just in the boot up screen.
Also, this doesn’t just apply to new devices like the Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8, but also to current devices. So the next time you get an OTA for your current Android smartphone or tablet, you will probably notice a change in the boot up screen with the new “Powered by Android” logo. But like I said, it’s not that big of a deal, its basically telling everyone that your phone is powered by Android.
How many of you are surprised to see Google mandating this on new and current Android devices? Be sure to let us know in the comments down below.