You buy an android phone and its linked heavily to Google. All the data you enter is captured one way or another. Even third party apps collect data. Slowly but surely you start to use these apps by Google and Google’s services and become more and more dependent. Competing apps dwindle away, and then Google decides to change how its app or service works. It either removes part of the feature set, or cans it totally. Latitude in Maps and Google Reader are two examples.

As mobile is becoming more and more the future of computing it has now figured out how to include adverts in its Gmail app under the promotions tab. If you use Google Now it has an even better profile on you, to enable it to work out what to sell you via third party companies or itself.

So how do you feel with your data been sold, becoming dependant on a Google service then losing it, or the whole principle of your data being used for other purposes and not remaining private?

Google started their 3 day developer conference with a 3 hour keynote speech. What was clear was the message. Services and apps where the focus more than hardware. Hardware is the smartphone industry has sort of plateaued with very little change between models. But with apps and services you can dictate a user experience to one that keeps them using your platform over a competitors.

Yesterday and the day before I wrote about the announcements so if you want to read the headlines scroll back a few pages. But in a nutshell from maps, search, music, development of apps for different tablet sizes, notifications, game services, smart photo editing, messaging and so much more all got major improvements. And Google is using its Chrome web browser to offer these services too, so your platform of choice won’t hinder you from using these great products. And the the crazy Samsung S4 Developer edition with stock android was announced. Still can’t fathom that one out.

Whilst I wasn’t jumping off my seat in excitement, I was nonetheless very impressed. I really think Google is taking the lead in the mobile space and will have a cross platform Eco system to take on the might of Apple’s matured Eco system. Apple needs to respond next month. This is going to be a great year for software and services!

Following on from my first update, below is the rest of the news from Google’s conference.

Google+ now gets a new look with cards, multi columns and hash tags. The home page for G+ now has up to 3 columns with individual cards for posts and pictures. It can intelligently learn the content of your posts and automatically add related hashtags as well. Columns appear or disappear depending upon the size of your screen, and cards can be flipped to reveal editing options, or moved . If you have the requisite screen real estate, pictures and videos expand to the width of the multiple columns.

Google+ launched Hangouts along with mobile apps. Hangouts replace Talk. The messaging service puts Android, Chrome, Gmail and iOS all on the same space, focusing the interface on conversations that carry from device to device with consistent notifications and shared photo pools. Contacts are still there, but they’re pushed to the side in the mobile view. Live group video is new, too, while text chats have watermarks to clarify who’s reading and typing. Hangouts is available today, including the new Android and iOS apps.

Google launched new photo editing tools: Auto Enhance and Highlights. Auto Enhance allows you to do adjust exposure, soften skin, minimize wrinkles, remove red-eye and reduce noise in low-light shots. Additionally, there is settings for collage, HDR, panorama, smile and motion. Motion creates a GIF when it detects a series of shots taken at the same place and time. Neat. Highlights, automatically selects your best photos and forgetting your not so decent shots.

Google Now includes reminders , transit and music options.

Google conversational search arrives on the desktop via chrome.

Google Maps redesigned with clearer design ,offers, ratings , improved search, a tablet UI and new apps coming for iOS and android.

Google Wallet will soon allow payments via a Gmail attachment.

A snap shot of the new developments from Google’s Developer conference.

900 million android activations and 48 billion app installs so far.

Google Play Services to integrate gaming services across all platforms including iOS and the web using your Google+ sign in. This will be used for real-time multiplayer, leaderboards, cloud saves and achievements.

Google Cloud Messaging part of Google Play Services. This will include persistent connections, which push out messages quickly, upstream messaging for sending data from your app to developers servers and synced notifications across devices. This means that if you dismiss an alert on your phone, it will similarly hit the get killed on your tablet. Neat.

New Maps and Location API’s for geofencing capabilities and low power location services.

Google introduces Android Studio an IDE to make building apps easier.

Google Play All Access. This is its answer to Spotify. All Access will come in both free (ad-supported) and paid flavors. A subscription costs $9.99 a month in the US, and all users will get a 30-day free trial. The service is live today only in the US at the moment. If you sign up before June 30th, you’ll get $2 off the monthly fee.

Google Play store gets redesign and a separate section for tablet apps. Finally.

Unbelievably Google announced a stock android Samsung Galaxy S4 unlocked, unlocked boot loader. But $649. Ouch. It does have LTE , 16gb and a memory card. But no Samsung tweaks.

Google releases Check Out. A one button approach to shopping.

Google launches Play for Education. This is a portal for apps and books.

More updates as they arrive later.

It won’t be long before Google I/O conference starts.

There has been a number of speculations as to what to expect, from the next iteration of android, to new hardware and a new social gaming centre.

So if Google does release the next iteration of android 5.0, how will this sit with manufacturers who are desperately trying to keep up with all the new software releases. Or will it simply be the announcement of android 4.3.3 with a new feature or two. I think this is more likely, along with the announcement of a social gaming centre. Key Lime Pie will get announced, but won’t be available probably until later on in the year. I suspect this might be as Google probably want to see what Apple does when it releases iOS 7.

I would also expect announcements to the Nexus line of smartphones and tablets. These will get the necessary spec increases from screen, memory and processor.

So apart from the gaming centre, I also envisage more media related announcements too.

It should be an exciting conference, but I do hope Google does try and focus on getting all the manufacturers to upgrade where possible all their hardware to a common level, and as soon as possible.