The practice of locking phones is a symptom of a greater disease in the U.S.: device subsidies. If we can separate the hardware from the service, consumers will ultimately have greater choice and save money. Read more »
Uptake for Android 4.0 or better continues to rise and there are finally more devices fitting this category than those that use the old Android 2.3 Gingerbread software. That’s good for users and for developers. Read more »
The German outfit, which has raised $1.47 million in funding, offers Android testing on virtualized devices. In some ways it’s a stopgap measure, but TestObject intends to keep it up as a low-cost testing option. Read more »
One of Google’s biggest Android challenges has been devices running various versions of the software. But two things have happened that are helping the issue disappear as 1 in 4 Android devices now run the Ice Cream Sandwich or Jelly Bean versions of Android. Read more »
AT&T is launching a new program called Advanced Communication Suite which not only resells Twilio-powered cloud communications apps but lets more-savvy businesses tap into its voice and SMS APIs. What’s more, given Twilio’s broad reach, AT&T may overcome the problem of cross-carrier fragmentation. Read more »
With multiple Amazon Kindle Fire tablets that differ in screen size, display resolution and even hardware capabilities, how will developers manage their mobile apps across the platform? A new “device targeting” feature will help and it supports Android devices through Amazon’s app store as well. Read more »
Apple has designed different versions of the iPhone 5 in order to capture all of world’s different LTE networks. It’s a huge break from Apple’s single-device strategy and could have major ramifications for carriers Apple has eschewed in the past like China Mobile and NTT DoCoMo. Read more »
France’s three big mobile operators are cooperating to put out a common API that mobile retail sites and apps can use to autofill customer data into a purchase screen. It’s a small achievement, but a notable one, considering operators past failures to lure in developers. Read more »
What happens when you get four-dozen carriers in a single room? Apparently nothing. The organization tasked with creating common carrier APIs, the Wholesale Application Community, revealed on Tuesday it is dissolving, selling off its technology to Apigee and folding its development efforts into the GSM Association. Read more »
For developers, consumers and even carriers, Android seems irreparably broken. But Google’s not likely to “fix” Android anytime soon, because despite the fragmentation problem, the company is getting what it wants: massive amounts of user data. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
The global adoption of LTE was going to heal the rift between the CDMA and GSM camps and give U.S. consumers more freedom to switch among carriers and greater choice in devices. Verizon’s planned sale of its extra LTE spectrum pretty much quashes that dream. Read more »
Last year, regional operator C Spire became the first small carrier in the U.S. to land the iPhone, but it’s good fortune may not continue if Apple launches an LTE smartphone. Spectrum fragmentation may keep Apple’s newest fastest device out of the small carriers’ hands. Read more »
The Hulu Plus mobile app is now available for Android tablets, complete with an updated user interface. The software has a visual redesign offering easier navigation on large touchscreen devices. But not every Android tablet owner can use the software; only seven devices are supported. Read more »
T-Mobile USA is asking the Federal Communications Commission to require that all LTE devices in the 700 MHz band be interoperable, a requirement that would benefit a bunch of small operators. Ironically, one carrier that benefits little from the rule change is T-Mobile. Read more »
This year’s CES was the biggest in the show’s 44-year history. It boasted 15 miles of exhibit hall aisles, 3,100 booths and 153,000 attendees. It is easy to be jaded by the endlessly repetitive products, but the thousands of innovations point toward a future of connectivity. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Android fragmentation is less of a challenge than it was two years ago, and developers shouldn’t be as concerned about it says Localytics. Data from both Localytics, and even Google, show this to be true. And Android 4.0 is a chance for a “fresh start.” Read more »
Adding T-Mobile support to the iPhone may sound simple, but it’s a much more difficult task than it appears. New bands don’t just necessitate new antennas, but a complete phone redesign. T-Mobile’s Apple moment may come with the iPhone 5, but don’t hold your breath. Read more »
I’m saying goodbye to Android, and it appears I’m not alone. Here is why the platform’s fragmentation and lack of interoperability have driven me away — and why Google should do everything it can to address those ... Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Google’s Android 4.0 software won’t be limited to new handset models like the Galaxy Nexus; handset makers are starting to share plans on which existing smartphones will see the update. With plans for software updates to existing phones, this could finally eliminate Android fragmentation issues. Read more »
When the Financial Times suddenly announced earlier this year that it was switching mobile gears from a native iOS app to build a web app, many in the industry took it as a sign that the dominance of the native mobile app was coming to an ... Read more at GigaOM Pro »
In May of 2010, I examined the Android fragmentation issue. Is it still a problem? Yes, but based on various Google actions that time, the data shows it’s far less of an issue than it was. And it will always exist under the current licensing model. Read more »
Google continues to battle its platform fragmentation challenges by adding a software compatibility check on the web-based Android Market. Supporting both smartphones and tablets, this change is good for consumers and developers, even as more devices are brought up to current Android versions. Read more »
Many laud Google’s Android Market and its loose barriers to application entry, but that doesn’t mean Google should be totally hands off, does it? Some updated applications are disappearing from the Market on certain devices and it’s taking days for Google to even acknowledge the issue. Read more »
Disk fragmentation is an old problem that has affected every operating system throughout history. File fragmentation occurs when a single file isn’t located in the same physical location on the disk, but is scattered around. OS X does a great job at minimizing file fragmentation by […] Read more »
