Comments on: Google’s Android Fragmentation Problem Persists: AdMob

By: Finally! 58.8% of Android Handsets Run a Recent OS Version

Finally! 58.8% of Android Handsets Run a Recent OS Version — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 14:59:23 +0000

[...] which is now four releases behind the most current release, known as Froyo. As recently as March, Android devices were distributed fairly equally between versions 1.5, 1.6 and 2.x. Such fragmentation between different versions results in a varied user experience and applications [...]

By: Everything You Need to Know About Froyo

Everything You Need to Know About Froyo — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:05:28 +0000

[...] and with Froyo, there are now four versions of the OS in the wild: 1.5, 1.6, 2.1 and 2.2. Some call it a legacy issue while others like me believe this situation to be a fragmentation challenge. Call it what you want, [...]

By: Android Daily Activations Top 160,000; All Verizon Droids Will Get Froyo

Android Daily Activations Top 160,000; All Verizon Droids Will Get Froyo — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 19:19:31 +0000

[...] the Android operating system faster than handset makers can design, build and sell such phones, a relatively new handset can be stuck running an older version of Android for some time. Indeed, the just-announced Droid X will have neither Froyo nor Flash support when it becomes [...]

By: 3 Reasons Nokia Isn’t Attracting More Mobile Developers

3 Reasons Nokia Isn’t Attracting More Mobile Developers — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 02:01:22 +0000

[...] eight E-series handsets, the unique N900 and a few more smartphones coming soon. It reminds of the current Google Android fragmentation issues, but far worse. The various Nokia smartphones all run Symbian S60 — except for the N900, [...]

By: Is Anyone Home at the Android Market or Has Google Gone Fishin’?

Is Anyone Home at the Android Market or Has Google Gone Fishin’? — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 22:32:32 +0000

[...] problem, although some at Google call it a “compatibility” issue. At last check, Android handset usage was equally split between Android 1.5, 1.6 and 2.x. Each new version of Android brings potential API changes and while it’s up to developers to [...]

By: Jonesable

Jonesable — Wed, 19 May 2010 12:53:34 +0000

Im into tech, love android, hate the fragmentation. I understand the sentiment of a varied market and understand that ALL android devices cant carry the lastest version (hardware spec wise and business wise) , but from Cupcake to Eclair ,the Android version discrepency is frustrating as a consumer. Other Android lovers like to say fragmentation isnt a big issue but looking at the big picture and the future of Android I think it is...but I'm hopeful Froyo will take steps to correct it and carriers and makers cooperate accordingly.

By: Why the iPhone Platform is Still the Best Game in Town

Why the iPhone Platform is Still the Best Game in Town — Fri, 14 May 2010 19:02:35 +0000

[...] A very stable platform with extremely predictable release cycles. Can the same be said for Android after just one year? Who knows when the next device will be making its way to consumer, what version of the OS it will [...]

By: B.M.

B.M. — Thu, 13 May 2010 00:03:52 +0000

big diff between apple and android is: Apple needs to make a big fat gross margin on their unit sales to please Wall Street; whereas, Android sellers like Moto, Samsung, and HTC only need to make a small margin and don't take on the cost of marketing the phones very much. So Android phones are going to end up being cheaper than iPhones, and more open to design changes.

THAT is why Apple will ultimately lose. That and not enough variety. Still waiting for an iPhone with physical QWERTY to rival RIMM's functionality.

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 12 May 2010 18:14:20 +0000

Luckily, there's a group of computer programmers who have successfully ported the Android 2.1 OS over to the HTC Hero (Sprint), which is what I've got. Before I was aware of this venture, I begrudgingly sputtered along on 1.5...

About 2 months ago when I learned of the successful port, I happily "took the plunge" and flashed my phone to 2.1. I haven't looked back since. My HTC Hero is now running 2.1 and is fully functional. The difference in performance was unbelievable.. and as far as I've seen so far, apps written for earlier OS versions are completely compatible with 2.1.

Bye-bye fragmentation...

P.S. - If any of you folks are in the same boat I was.. waiting impatiently for your OS upgrade on your Sprint HTC Hero, then go google "Fresh Kitchen Android". Do a bit of reading on their site, and update your phone. You won't be disappointed.

By: dpeeps

dpeeps — Wed, 12 May 2010 17:50:44 +0000

where this really comes into play is with hardware. not now, because we're only talking from 1.5 to 2.1. But at some point, this becomes the same exact issue microsoft faced. Their OS was on so much different hardware that they had to consider that when doing any development of the OS. At some point Google just has to say, 1.5 isn't valid, you can't use it, sell it on new devices, things like that. because the fact of the matter is, 2.1 is very real now, they're doing work on the next version, and there are devices not slated till the end of this year that plan on being released with 1.5. so either android os becomes just so huge to support so many different hardware configurations/devices, or they find some way, in working with the carriers, who should stay out of the software business anyways, to just provide those core OS updates through google. most average consumers though have a hard time figuring out that they're really just holding a very tiny computer in their hands, but as things change, and smartphones continue to grow, and people start to have smaller devices than a laptop, that will change.