Re: Pixel is the reference phone, code works for Google, OEMs sort out the mess on their hardware
"I can't see a conflict of interest there at all."
But if Google is taking technical decisions and making updates to Android, based on it's knowledge and implementation of Pixel hardware, and not communicating to the OEMs about this then the OEMs are at a trading disadvantage; remember that the big Android OEMs are paying Google money for it, so they can expect some consideration in this.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
