Why multi-user exists in Android tablets and smartphones?

Google engineer explains why the multi-user function exists only on Android tablets and not smartphones with this operating system.


Android 4.3 has a few days of being announced and one of its main features is the creation of user profiles restricted. The simple multi-user feature was already present from Android version 4.2 but only in tablets(PIPO M9 3G) and many expected it to open the field to smartphones with the launch of Android 4.3. However, Google did not release the multi-user feature Android in the new version and users wonder why.

Much noise has been made about this question. And perhaps no one had dared to openly ask Google, until now. Dan Morrill is an engineer at Google, Reddit constant user. And it was on this platform that someone did the big question: Why no multi-user Android smartphones and tablets in itself?

Dan Morrill's answer lies in the main function of smartphones, which is in communication via SMS and calls made. For Google still not very clear how you could configure a multi-user smartphone(THL W11 Monkey King) with Android to allow the use of a single SIM card and incoming calls. Dan Morrill gives the example of a child playing the father on the phone, what if the dad gets a phone call from his boss who is not able to answer because your child is using the phone? or what if input is enabled and someone else calls you receive? How do you set up incoming calls or messages? What do you assign user permissions to make or receive calls?

Dan Morrill complements its response saying that they have done research and surveys show that a smartphone(THL W100) is entirely personal, as opposed to a tablet. And, under this premise, the multi-function enabled Android user for these devices might fall on that is not very used. For this reason stressed that, perhaps, never see this feature enabled on smartphones for any inconvenience it would bring.

Although Dan's answer was very concise and many of us makes sense, the discussion is still in Reddit and you can join it if you wish. For my part, I am satisfied with the response from Dan and I think if in the future the multi-user Android smartphones came into existence, should be done for two or more devices with SIM card slots. That might be the solution, right?