Andy Rubin on multitouch in Android: 'I personally don't like two-handed operations'
By Chris Ziegler 
posted January 8th 2010 9:21PM
posted January 8th 2010 9:21PM
Andy's reply:"You call this a superphone -- 3.7-inch capacitive display, but no keyboard and no multitouch. Yet it has multitouch outside the US. Why not America?"
That doesn't explain the fact that the European Nexus One seems to have some in-built multitouch enabled -- nor does it explain why any manufacturer would ever opt to exclude it under any circumstances unless there's some outside pressure involved. Surely Rubin's personal preferences don't play into this... right? Right, Google?"It's not an America versus outside America kind of thing. It's a decision that is a result of the OEM model. I personally don't like two-handed operations... there is no conspiracy."
vague !
"there is no conspiracy."
Yeah, right, Andy Rubin is full of it.
Josh and Chris, please keep up the good work and hound these guys until they give us the truth and stop lying through their teeth.
Hey Andy, I got a one-handed operation that you won't like. :)
@One Love
amen brother!!
@flipflop
Engadget, please stop referring to the lack of multi-touch as an "issue". An issue is something, typically overlooked by the developers, that prevents the intended functionality of some product (or service). The multi-touch implementation is intentionally voided from the US phones. Just because the iPhone has multi-touch and it is the phone you are most comfortable with does not make other phones without its implementation problematic.
Now the only question is, why do the European versions have it and the US versions do not?
Andy Rubin designed the Sidekick & its two hand keyboard.
Andy Rubin designed the G1 & its two hand keyboard.
Andy Rubin LOVES two hand operations and just got caught in a baldfaced lie.
@yyandrew Beautifully said
hey engadget, get your info straight.
ANDROID SUPPORTS MULTITOUCH. If Android didn't support MultiTouch, the Dolphin multitouch browser wouldn't work.
Google's Apps: Maps, Browser, Gallery, Gmail, etc are what don't support multitouch in the US.
Do your research.
@flipflop The exchange was actually a little longer live - if anyone want's to watch the full 45 minute interview it's been posted here: http://bit.ly/7VInjd
look's like someone angry here!!!
hahahaha...
calm down josh.
I agree to some extend, I pretty much only use my right thumb for my phone. Just fix zooming in the browser to something more intelligent than plus and minus buttons, some kind of slider bar would be nice.
One, two, three, four, I declare a FLAME WAR!
hehe i laughed pretty hard.
What does multitouch to do with "two-handed operations" ???
It makes you wonder if the guy even knows what it means!
Me for one will not buy a smartphone without multitouch. Using my iPhone for games such as Dungen hunter (UI joystick) or simply zooming in/out when surfing is a wonderful thing.
@vampyren
I'm sure Andy was referring to the lack of keyboard.
No multitouch is one thing. No keyboard is an immediate dealbreaker, and the lack of multitouch makes not having a keyboard even worse.
Isn't it because of a patent issue with Apple? Why ask a question like that... unless, you DO want him to hadouken your ass.
@Special Agent Steve
Nilay's been to actual law school, so I trust his word more than I do commenter's opinion.
He says that Apple does not have a patent on multitouch in and of itself.
http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/some-more-perspective-on-the-droid-and-multitouch/
@Special Agent Steve
Even if it is just a patent issue you'd think they'd just say that and be done with it. Why is he being so vague? It just don't make no sense.
@BigJayDogg3
How well do you trust the United States Patent and Trademark Office?
http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=multi-touch&s2=multitouch&OS=multi-touch+AND+multitouch&RS=multi-touch+AND+multitouch
@SFgadgetman
Honestly, I don't know. It's obviously an issue Google wants to address, but I personally think they're better ways than just "pinch and zoom" to zoom in. Maybe a circle or something. Idk. Google will come up with something.
@Special Agent Steve
Doubt it. Apple's patent is questionable to start with. I think it's more likely Google entered a non-compete with Apple when they became involved with the iPhone. This explains why it's only in the US and it further explains why other Android handset makers are enabling the functionality themselves. Any phone that Google has direct first party involvement in will probably not include multi-touch until that deal expires. Just a guess though
@(Unverified)
You have proof of this or just talking out your ass..
@Goona
There is a difference between taking an educated guess, and talking out of your ass. He even said it was just a guess, if he had said it with absolute certainty then you could say that..
@Special Agent Steve
Now cut through the technical talk and legalese and come to a conclusion. I think Nilay is far more qualified to make that call. Once again, I'll take his word over a commenter.
Thats a very strange reply, infact more of a lame excuse.
For some reason, I feel like they have the ability to do it, but some US only patent is stopping them. Anybody else gets the same feeling?
@vibhorgoyal Yes. See my comment - read yours after.
http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/08/andy-rubin-on-multitouch-in-android-i-personally-dont-like-tw/1#c24557966
@vibhorgoyal Oops. I "read yours after."
@atomandroid Yes thats what I have exactly on my mind. I am somewhat convinced that Google is trying to escape Apple's patent infringement. But what is really bothering me is why only US??? Isn't the patent valid in Europe.
I would really like Engadget's outlook on this. I have seen Nelay patel doing some good patent reviews earlier, probably he should come up and explain that what is there in the patent that is stopping Google from getting this in US.
@vibhorgoyal If you want to patent technology you have to patent it in each individual market you want to sell it in, countries each have their own patent office systems. Europe's Patent Office doesn't allow software patents, obviously the US hardware here is multitouch capable so the patents only apply to the software which is not patentable in the EU.
@tux2005 Thanks tux for that info. That makes total sense, and I am sure thats the reason behind it.
@vibhorgoyal
And the truth leaks out... and proves that we were right all along....
http://brainstormtech.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2010/03/09/apple-talks-tough-to-handset-makers/
@Jon Rubinstein Yeah I'm just gunna stick with my Pre that actually has multi-touch. It does everything I need it to, what more can I ask for? Oh yeah 3d gaming! Oh wait that was already addressed.
who cares what you like!?! its called customer service dammit. suck it up and enjoy the profit like the rest of America.
..wtf andy?
@techobsessive
Oh, Andy, Oh Andy, when will those [multi-touch gestures] reappear
Andy, Andy what will you give us from here?
With no pinch-zooming in our phones, we'll keep our money in our coats,
You can't say we're satisfied.
But Andy, Andy, you can't say you ever tried
I'm a huge google fanboy. I'll admit it. I'm with Josh, though. This is a little creepy. They should just answer the question. Loved the interview with Erick Tseng. Same deal. Personally, I don't care about multi-touch either, but the continued effort to dodge the question is weird.
Keep asking the tough questions!
What happens if google buys up a lot of Engadget ad space, though. That would be interesting to see...
Google is looking more and more ridiculous every day since the "superphone" has been released.
Couldn't they have seen people were going to make fun of the whole "it's a superphone" thing? I mean if it was that's one thing but it's nowhere near being a superphone.
And now paying customer's can't even get tech support for this "superphone"? I'm hearing so many people are having problems that Goog's Nexus One support pages are down. Not good.
Andy Rubin sounds like an idiot. Blaming the multi-touch on HTC! Makes no sense whatsoever.
I think Google has royally fucked up this time. And I hate that. I really wanted them to do something that would have shook up the wireless industry. All they've done is show their competitors how not to do something.
It's going to be a long weekend in Mountain View.
How the hell do they expect to compete with the iphone when they won't ad multitouch capabilites to these phones that are more than capable?
@stormljones3 Yeah, I know. lack of multi-touch makes the phone useless (
@stormljones3 My text got cut off. I was pointing out that I was typing sarcastically.
@kpgalligan I wasn't saying that it makes a phone useless, I was saying that it hinders a phone's ability to compete with the iphone as far as gaming, etc is concerned...
@stormljones3 Well, it does not, as multitouch is supported for 3rd-party apps...
@stormljones3
They mentioned this like 100 times already, They are NOT trying to compete with the iPhone with the N1, It's all about choice and personal preference.
"I personally don't like two-handed operations." Okay, that's his opinion.
It's not like Andy would bar multitouch because of his doesn't think it's cool. Why are you hinting towards that? Flamebait?
@N900 I believe they should, but nevermind, i'm happy with my Droid.
@Jon Rubinstein Here. Nice post.
Keep pressing for answers Josh!
I guess he has only one finger... I'm very sorry.
If you got a dumbphone i think it is normal to always use it with one hand, but when you have a computer that is also a phone you'll find yourself using it _often_ with two hands...
And this sounds a lot like "Nobody needs MMS", fanboy bullshit. If one person does not need a feature it doesn't mean nobody should use it!
@esoel Yeah, but that was opinion. It's not like he up and said, "I don't like multitouch. Let's ban it here".
@Shawn
You can keep your Pre and all 258 apps. I'll keep my free Navigation with Google Maps.
@Shawn i know im going to sound like a fan boy but:
multi-touch isn't important apple only use it because they like to use flashy things that are practical. most people use smart phones with one hand and double-tapping or pressing a zoom button is way more practical and efficient than pinch and zoom.