Comments on: Android Distribution Charts Spark Ridiculous “Fragmentation” Arguments for the 1,000th Time

By: E A butler

E A butler — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 02:43:00 +0000

Siri is a bad example…. Try to play Infiniti Blade 2 on an older iOS device… it wont!!!!! There are a few examples of 3rd gen and older devices that dont really run the latest apps well, even if they are running 5.0 (like my 3rd gen iPod Touch). This is fragmentation in iOS, and it is as bad as Android. Also, I find that certain apps crash a lot on my iPod Touch after I updated from 4.0 to 5.0, plus it is slower and I have a ton a issues where songs do not show up in the music app even though they are on the device…… Sometimes its better to not upgrade to the most recent software if your device really wasnt made for it … or maybe its Apples way of forcing me to buy a new iPod…. haha

By: E A butler

E A butler — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 02:35:00 +0000

Like i said before , most people have no clue and really dont bother to update unless it adds some kool new must have feature to the device…..

By: E A butler

E A butler — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 02:34:00 +0000

Here’s the best way to describe it….
I have a Samsung Galaxy Note running 2.3, a Galaxy Nexus , running 4.0 and an Acer Iconia running 3.0. All three devices have different screen sizes, hardware and software. Now when I want to install apps, I run into issues, because certain apps will not be compatible with certain devices. Productivity apps usually dont give you any issues they usually work well across all platforms, but you will run into issues mostly with games. I can be annoying at times, but not a major turnoff from for me.

By: E A butler

E A butler — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 02:27:00 +0000

I dont think the average user gives a crap, unless they see a really cool new feature that someone shows them, and with Android you can usually download some 3rd party app that does the trick, without having to upgrade or buy a new phone. …… I don’t even think people on this board understand what FRAGMENTATION or OPEN SOUCRE even mean… lol

By: Kyle Wilkins

Kyle Wilkins — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 22:09:00 +0000

Possibly to some extent. It hurts a company when they are pumping out tons of phones each year. It’s impossible for Google to keep up with that. I think the big three Android phone companies have the money to bring in more software people. It comes off to me as if they are understaffed in the software department seeing as how independent developers and teams can pump out updates quick with most everything already functioning before there’s even rumors of an OTA update.

By: Charles

Charles — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 22:03:00 +0000

Say what you will about fragmentation, but it’s A COLD HARD FACT. I’m the biggest Android apologist around, but the fact that the NCAA March Madness app was not compatible with my practically brand new Galaxy Nexus phone really chapped me, and proved that there’s a big problem. Yes, I know there are ways to side load and bypass things such as this, but why should I have to? It’s ridiculous.

Kellex, you are wrong that only “tech geeks and bored journalists” believe that there’s a problem. All of my low-tech friends are thoroughly frustrated by fragmentation. The only difference is, they don’t realize what it is and therefore are quick to dismiss their Android devices. 99% of users want a consistent, reliable experience and they don’t care to know the whys or hows behind it. This is what Apple gives over Android, unfortunately.

I love my Galaxy Nexus, but this is my final straw with Android. Is it too much to ask for a completely operational, seamless and compatible phone experience out of a $650 phone? I think not.

By: JimDeuxTrois

JimDeuxTrois — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 16:58:00 +0000

we are the 0% ?

By: Curtis Martin

Curtis Martin — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 14:33:00 +0000

I’ve run into problems several times where specific phones have their own unique problems even with normal everyday API calls. For instance, Droid Incredible doesn’t fetch media thumbnails the same way that 99% of the other phones out there do for some reason. I’ve also run into other media related issues on the Nexus S. The whole Galaxy S line of phones requires mp4s to be hinted if you want to stream them to the phone.

The point I’m making is that if you’re a small development team just trying to write apps, there is a ridiculous amount of bases you have to cover, and it’s unrealistic. The Zyngas and Facebooks of the world don’t have a problem testing on all these devices, but the everyman does.

By: jtwildman1

jtwildman1 — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 14:21:00 +0000

My only hope is for Google to force/implement a timetable for devices to be upgraded after release to the most current OS. I’m not sure if it’s even possible, but leaving it up to the manufacturer or Verizon doesn’t seem to be the answer.

By: James Mueller

James Mueller — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 13:25:00 +0000

Your statement is absolutely correct. OEMs are doing exactly what Google intended them to do with it, install it on their products. However it is not Google’s responsibility to upgrade their software on someone else’s equipment. That is like saying its M$’s fault for NT4 servers still existing in the wild. Its not the developer’s, as you say, fault, for the consumers (the OEMs in this case) of their product not upgrading their released equipment to the latest version. In the world of mobile devices it is a responsibility of the manufacturers or service providers to ‘push’ the upgrades to the devices. The developer’s job is just that, to develop. M$ doesn’t push its OS to Dell or IBM’s equipment. Same concept here!
And for all the Apple fans out there their fragmentation is caused by their users. In their case they are the developer and the OEM. They control their own fate up to the point of physically making the user press the “upgrade now” button on the display.

By: Counsel Dew

Counsel Dew — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 11:48:00 +0000

Just curious… but is this really that serious that you need to get all worked up? How about get serious about using tech to stop human trafficking? Who cares what OS is on a device? You have a device. Don’t like your OS? Flash a ROM. No problem…

By: Rich Nahra

Rich Nahra — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 09:52:00 +0000

I’m sure that Droidzilla’s name and bitchen profile pic get’s him laid all the time.

By: TC Infantino

TC Infantino — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 08:35:00 +0000

Damn, Win 98? Wow. I thought my company had outdated computers with them running XP. But you are correct about that, and PCs having many different types of hardware is the main reason. And even with all that Windows fragmentation, MS still totally beat Apple in the PC game.

By: TC Infantino

TC Infantino — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 08:26:00 +0000

Eh, not going to get into the fanboi flame wars. What I will say is that yes, Apple is doing well with the iphones. And Google is doing well with the multitude of Android phones. And I hope that they both come out with new groundbreaking ideas and technologies to compete with each other. That way we all win with new and fun abilities baked into our phones. I don’t like the iphone or the way Apple does business, but without competition there isn’t an impetus for companies to innovate and keep improving their products. So let Cupertino keep making their locked down and strangled phones so that Google can keep coming out with new ideas to beat them.

By: Bigbear

Bigbear — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 07:14:00 +0000

always nice to see apple trolls in droid blogs giving thier .02 c about ios and how apple is infallible. Must be a slow day over at the apple blogs josh.