That would be equivalent to Google removing Microsoft Office apps from Play Store to promote their own Office apps, and that's illegal.
What Google is doing is the same that Microsoft is doing with Ubuntu or Chromebooks. It's not profitable to develop an app for a platform with a small number of users. Windows Phone has to grow more to get better support from developers. Universal apps will help with that.
TL;DR= More Rambles. :sweaty:
I can agree with you to a point on this, as Google may have decided to not develop the apps themselves because of the cost to user base.
However, what is their excuse to close all of AIP's they have closed to just ensure that 3rd party developers cannot create these apps themselves?
I mean, they argued security concerns, but that is a load of crap. If it was REALLY for that reason, then why does every other platform have an API that 3rd party dev's can use?
Personally, with the way that Google has changed their business practices, I think they are just circling their wagons and alienating people that don't believe in the "New Google Way: Drink the Kool-Aid".
When I realized that they are doing everything they can to kill independent innovation for the platform, I was ready to jump ship.
The Amazon Kindle line is a perfect example. The only reason Amazon can only have one manufacturer make the devices is that all other manufactures were told by Google that if they make a non-Google device, they will lose their license to make Google devices.
Samsung was working hard to gain momentum to move out of the Google iron grip with TouchWiz, but in the end, it just didn't get the momentum they needed to drop everything Google. Now they are signed up with Microsoft, but who knows how well that will go over. If Google pulls their ability to make Google branded devices, they may back off and drop the Microsoft alliance.
Microsoft is investing in Cyanogen Mod because they have seen what Google is doing and their plan is to "take Android away from Google". Ultimately, in the end, Google broke their promise to the early adapters of Android. It didn't stay fully Open Source and they have worked hard to keep the Custom ROM's from pre-packaging Google apps.
In the end, the landscape will change, just not sure how to see what the actual end-game with all this movement, but all I really want to see is the choices and availability of those choices for the consumer to grow and allow us to pick what best fits our needs.