Google is fending off lawsuits from Microsoft, Apple, and Oracle to defend their Android OS platform.  The company has always stated that they have an open-source platform but their platform developers seem to think otherwise.  A few issues with Android have cropped up in recent weeks, starting with some missing revenue from developer app sales in the Market.

The issue started last year when some developers noticed that there is an inconsistency with their sales and the receipts.  There seems to be an issue in tracking sales from the web-based Android Market, where the app name is modified from the phone market stores.  As Google makes several sweeping changes to its Market to make it more user-friendly and competitive with the Apple App Store, it will have to keep developers in mind.

What’s alarming is that only a few have noticed the discrepancies, and there might be a lot more who haven’t.  Developers have brought this to Google’s attention, but had fallen on deaf ears until recently, when Google finally acknowledged the problem and stated that they will look into it and offer a resolution.

And on the perception that Android is the most open of mobile platforms, developers are hesitant to agree.  VisionMobile, a leading market analysis and strategy firm, has conducted a study that revealed Android as having the most closed platform in regards to the Open Governance Index, as compared to others such as Qt, Symbian, MeeGo, Mozilla, WebKit, Linux and Eclipse.  Android scored last place with 23%, while Eclipse literally eclipsed them by scoring 84%, being the most transparent among other factors.

“Visibility to the roadmap is limited, as there is no Android roadmap publicly available. In fact, development of the Android private branch and the roadmap is controlled by Google, with little input from external parties or the Open Handset Alliance members. When launched, the Open Handset Alliance served the purpose of a public industry endorsement for Android. Today, however, the OHA serves little purpose besides a stamp of approval for OHA members; there is no formal legal entity, no communication processes for members nor frequent member meetings,” reports VisionMobile.

Though transparency is an issue, there is still a good relationship between Google and developers as Google launched a workshop for app developers that have been already made apps for them in the past.  Headed by Google’s Android Developer Relations the Android Developer Labs (ADLs) will try to show developers how they can optimize their apps for Android tablets, according to an Android developers’ blog.

“The goal is to bring your app to the ADL, and leave equipped to make it into one that makes Android tablet users smile.”

The first workshop kicked off on August 2 in Bangalore, India. The next two will run in Seattle on August 15 and 16 and will be followed by two workshops in New York City on August 23 and 24. The series will wrap up with a final session in Los Angeles on September 2.

Google needs to address and resolve the issues of developers, as the platform continues to grow in size and reach.  Losing developer support would adversely affect the Android ecosystem, and it’s the last thing they want to happen after everything they’ve already gone through.