Fragmentation costs Android developer attention, study shows
- O
- Oli
- wHR
- 20 Mar 2012
I love android and would choose it any day over iOS or Windows.. Just my preference.. But I agree with this article.. They should really start working out a solution..
Also to be honest both my mom n my sister are using Galaxy SIIs n both have crashed a few times.. Although this happens to iPhones too.. No phone is perfect..
- R
- RejZoR
- 3pt
- 20 Mar 2012
Fragmentation caused by stupid phone makers. 3/4 of the phones could be updated but phone makers refused to update them in order to artificially boost sales of new phones. All phones could be updated to Gingerbread 2.3 but loads of them remained on Froyo because they refused to update them. ICS, i sort of understand because of the hardware requirements, but for Gingerbread, there just aren't any excuses.
- T
- Tizen Takeover
- jxx
- 20 Mar 2012
The move to Tizen has begun. :D
Android is a great OS though.
- D
- AnonD-21645
- Gjj
- 20 Mar 2012
As a fan of Android, I definitely think this is accurate, but I think a bigger problem is the wide variety of specs Android can run on...
What iOS benefits from (and Winmo to a certain extent) is that they've set a minimum standard of specs - so developers know what limits they can work with and they know that all phones with those OSs will be able to run their products... Something Android simply cannot say at the moment....
Google really need to take a step back - they've introduced the all singing and dancing ICS - which really should now be the standard, let's forget about Jellybean and Key Lime Pie... let's slowly build on ICS, and maybe only move on to a new iteration once per year... otherwise you're only going to perpetuate this gap between people with GB, people with ICS, Froyo, etc...
WHERE DOES IT END?!?!?
- y
- yeip
- N9x
- 20 Mar 2012
For us the non developers this is pretty dangerous, indeed. The support of these clever people is what keeps Android's engine moving. And as we see very good and successful apps left behind after a transition to the new version of the Android OS, it's a no brainer to see why the increasing lack of interest.
I'll take for example what happened to mobile trackers after the Fryo-Gingerbread transition. I know new features and innovation are more than desirable on each genertion, but it's necesary to make them as inclusive as possible for the previous developers, so we don't lose these valuable people (obviously the best way to keep 'em interested is to assure that their profit and public recognition will remain for more than just a few months).
- e
- epolaris
- Rn@
- 20 Mar 2012
I'm an Android fan and even I'm intimidated. Jelly bean 5.0 should be released this year.
It could really be a problem because while I love the dynamism of the platform and the intelligence of the google devs in constantly making Android technically versatile, they could really run the risk of becoming a developers kryptonite. Versatility is good but with all the constant updates it could really reach a point of diminishing returns. The geeks at google are letting their enthusiam for the platform potentially alienate developers. Jelly bean sounds pretty damn awesome (with the chrome dual boot and all) but do we really need this so soon. ICS is barely out. If I can say this then there is no doubt that devs are going to be disenchanted at least a little bit.
- M
- Martin,UK
- n{Q
- 20 Mar 2012
sadly its true. I'm a big fan of android and its openness vs the virtual sandbox of iOS. I have looked at developing tablet apps for android but varying screen sizes, differing OS versions and specifications make it a lot more complex than developing for the iPad. You need to have at least 4 or 5 of the most popular tablets to test on before release. With phones and the now unified ics phone/tablet system it makes it even more complex.
I had an idea for a game that would work brilliantly on a 10.1 inch screen but that wouldn't translate well to a 7" or even 5" screen. My potential market was so fragmented I gave up on the idea.
- D
- AnonD-2663
- tAG
- 20 Mar 2012
and the only OS to make positive ground was ??
developers, developers, developers, developers......
Funny how fanboys are still in denial about android fragmentation.
- G
- Got knowledge?
- MkX
- 20 Mar 2012
whatchasay, 20 Mar 2012My condolences to Android. Come on windows phone. You can... moreRestart-prone Android? How do you like my SGSII slapped into your face which hadn't restarted even once since I got it last December? Maybe you're talking about cheap android phone? My apologies to those people who owe's those android's because with what you're pertaining "restart-prone android" statemnt makes me feel you're talking all android units. Android hater much? And yes there's no denying that I'm an android fan. Got a problem with that?
- D
- AnonD-9550
- A$p
- 20 Mar 2012
Adomas, 20 Mar 2012No its not propaganda. With s many different android versio... moreI would still rather have the flexibility and customisation choice that android gives me over any version of iOs .....
- ?
- Anonymous
- PFP
- 20 Mar 2012
wont lose interest soon, but only latest / most popular models will get updates / launch first....sounds so much like nokia just few yrs back....plenty of phones with dozens of sizes...
- ?
- Anonymous
- qbn
- 20 Mar 2012
Alui, 20 Mar 2012What about the new iPad? Thre will be a separate app for iP... moreNo, like iPhone 3GS->4, Apple built support into the tools before launching the hardware. You package regular and high-res artwork and depending on the device the correct version is displayed. That the differences are a simple doubling of resolution in each dimension makes it extremely easy to handle. It was the discovery of the new high-res artwork support that initially sparked the iPad 'retina' rumors in the first place.
- B
- BKP
- vV5
- 20 Mar 2012
Tell me about it though the android tab made by Samsung like 7.7 and Asus prime are as good as the iPad in terms of quality or in fact sleaker then iPad. But what frustrat is the half cooked apps. vheck out my reviews under Tab 7.7......all apps available in tab that I had in iPad but it crashes, some does not support bluetooth.
hope to see good W8 tab comming this year which will be a good alternative to iPad. And unlike apple the other manufacturer are ready to experiment on fed specs like 7inch pad with phone for the few executives like me. if tab 7.7 had been on W8 it would have been a hot selling by the people like me whose primary task is read mails, travel and phone....and most of the time try to do office task on mobile device.....
- r
- razz
- uuh
- 20 Mar 2012
Alui, 20 Mar 2012What about the new iPad? Thre will be a separate app for iP... moreyou are behaving like a child.you mean Windows 8 is a mess.Don't worry,you will see with your own eyes how win 8 and wp8 will fly
- D
- AnonD-26572
- mxS
- 20 Mar 2012
Adomas, 20 Mar 2012No its not propaganda. With s many different android versio... moreIndeed. It would have helped had ICS not been announced and the source code released, only for virtually no phones to be running it almost 4 months later. Then just to add insult to injury, they start waffling on about Jellybean and Key Lime Pie. There was even talk of phones dual booting between Jellybean and Chrome. Many devices are still running Froyo for heavens sake!
As much as I despise the way Apple and MS behave, at least they don't have this problem to anything like this extent. Manufacturers should be given firm dates, after which they are no longer allowed to sell phones with an old O/S. Why are we still seeing new phones coming out with GB on them, even now?
- j
- jk
- xv4
- 20 Mar 2012
Developers work where the client is.
Android is expanding so no worry.
Funny article when you consider the battle Apple vs Windows in the old days. Apple is not learning from it.
- J
- J.R. Portugal
- 0uZ
- 20 Mar 2012
Believe me, after i updated my GS2 to ICSamsung and witnessed the mess it was with the new UI (now a mix of GB, ICS and TW), i really felt compelled to change platform and the first thing that came into my mind was, Windows Phone. IMHO, powerful hardware it´s not enough to enrich the user experience but, i don´t want something that just "simply works", i want something that works the way i see fit. Google is giving away a little to much...
- A
- Alui
- Am9
- 20 Mar 2012
What about the new iPad? Thre will be a separate app for iPhone 4(S), iPad 2, and iPad 3. If you buy an app for iPad 2, when you'll go to iPad 3 you'll need to buy again the app for iPad 3 to see a difference. Nasty if you spent hudreds of $ on apps. BTW, due to higher screen resolution, 16GM of memory is totaly insufficent. Even 32 GB might not be ebough. But for 64GB and maybe 128 in the future, the price of the iPad will be to high for most people.
Indeed Android is too fragmented, Google should put restrictions on the hardware as Microsoft does. They should allow only 720x1200 resolution for phones and tablets under 8 inch, and 1080x1920 resolution for tablets over 8 inch. With more than that you can get into problems, see iPad 3(heat, yellow tint). Google should also choose one or two architectures(Tegra 3 sucks, btw) at most.
Windows 8? It will never fly. Too ugly.
- a
- androidguy
- Kik
- 20 Mar 2012
AnonD-14101, 20 Mar 2012Had to happen, sooner or later.Yes despite i.am an android user.i already know this will happen to android.absolutely agree
- G
- Guest
- IWQ
- 20 Mar 2012
I love my android but it's a problem. Hope it become HTC and Samsung exclusive, that will save the fragmentation issue :P