The Android Market has always been separate from Android.
Also, I think Google should've adopted the same strategy with Android as they did with Chrome and Chromium. Basically, they make everything open source, but they only promote the "Google Chromium", known to us as Chrome.
They should've done something similar from the beginning, because it's obvious Google wants a "Google Experience Android" to be separate than the Android that is accessible to anyone. If the projects had different names, it might've avoided some of the confusion about others using "Android" to make their own projects (like Amazon, B&N, and some Chinese companies).
Also, it would've forced manufacturers to keep it mostly the same (Would you get a Samsung branded Chrome?). But because they promoted Android instead of the "Google Experience Android", now they are coming out short in some ways, and manufacturers get to do almost whatever they want to Android. I'm not saying this is good or bad - just that it's bad for Google, and for their sake, it would've been better to use the Chrome/Chromium strategy.
Now they're trying to do this by renaming everything into "Google X" instead of using Android anymore. It might work, but it should've happened from the beginning, and it might be a bit confusing to do it right now.
On the flip side, they've only been able to get as far as they have on the strength of alliances that may not have flourished with such a clear line drawn.
Also, I think Google should've adopted the same strategy with Android as they did with Chrome and Chromium. Basically, they make everything open source, but they only promote the "Google Chromium", known to us as Chrome.
They should've done something similar from the beginning, because it's obvious Google wants a "Google Experience Android" to be separate than the Android that is accessible to anyone. If the projects had different names, it might've avoided some of the confusion about others using "Android" to make their own projects (like Amazon, B&N, and some Chinese companies).
Also, it would've forced manufacturers to keep it mostly the same (Would you get a Samsung branded Chrome?). But because they promoted Android instead of the "Google Experience Android", now they are coming out short in some ways, and manufacturers get to do almost whatever they want to Android. I'm not saying this is good or bad - just that it's bad for Google, and for their sake, it would've been better to use the Chrome/Chromium strategy.
Now they're trying to do this by renaming everything into "Google X" instead of using Android anymore. It might work, but it should've happened from the beginning, and it might be a bit confusing to do it right now.