The Android Market is the weakest point of Google's
If Google doesn't fix this big problem, maybe somebody else will. Amazon.com
That's also the reason why Google isn't telling Verizon
I fully expect both Amazon and Best Buy to come through -- not only with new market solutions but with better ones. These are consumer-oriented companies with tons of design and usability experience, while Google is running Android more like an engineer than a marketer or a designer. The appearance of other alternatives will eventually force Google to get its own offering up to par, and so the virtuous cycle keeps spiraling until the app-installing experience stops being the saddest part of owning an Android phone -- or developing programs for them.
In fact, Google seems to have caught that fever already. Older Android phones have recently received an upgraded Market application ripped from the Froyo version of the platform. Phones as old as last year's HTC myTouch 3G now enjoy refinements like one-click updating of all installed applications and a nicer presentation of what each program is good for. But the sub-par search experience remains, and Google really should do better.
Is the lousy app market keeping you from buying an Android -- and would a better one change your mind? Discuss in the comments below.