Android opens door to IC open source (EE Times)

The article's argument is that, while Linux developers are used to the FOSS model,
semiconductor companies are for the large part not familiar with it. Having to GPL their
device drivers is a big change for them, and the article focuses (repeating the point several
times, even) on the ability of competitors to see their code, and in particular "Chinese
manufacturers" - somewhat xenophobic, I'd say.

Anyhow, the general point is that by supplying hardware for Android, you must GPL your
drivers. If you have secret stuff in them, then that's now in plain view. Not working in the
semiconductor business myself, I don't know the implications of this, but it seems to me that
these hardware companies are mainly competing on, well, hardware, and less on software. But I
might be wrong. The more obvious problem with the article's fear is that, given the large
number of serious partners in the Android platform, apparently there are plenty/enough
manufacturers that are fine with the GPL model, so it seems a moot point.