The gap between OS versions Android on various devices is gradually narrowing, but the problem still exists and cannot be argued with, despite the measures taken by Google to resolve this issue. However, not everyone sees only the negative impact of fragmentation on the ecosystem Android.
Echoing the findings of some researchers, many users often talk about a 'fragmented' market Android – devices. However, the word 'diverse' more accurately describes the current state of affairs. And that’s why things are not so bad.
The mentioned problem can also have a positive impact on the ecosystem as a whole. 'Fragmentation' means an idealized whole, broken into parts. This definition has a negative connotation, because it implies that the right ecosystem should be more inherent in centralization and standardization. Better to use the term 'diversity'. After all, we are not saying that humanity is fragmented. We are different in terms of race, ethnicity, ideology, physical and intellectual appearance. This can be both our problem and our strength. We are not a monoculture. And you shouldn't expect the devices we use or the code embedded in the software to comply with a single standard.
Fragmentation by brand
Devices based on Android are characterized by a great variety. In a recent ecosystem survey, OpenSignal, an app company and web information aggregator, reported 24,000 different devices discovered as of August 2015. Last year's data featured a little less than 19,000 different gadgets based on Android. Out of 682,000 devices studied, the majority were Samsung devices (37.8%). OpenSignal representatives in their presentation called fragmentation Android “a strength and a weakness at the same time, a headache for developers and what provides a global reach to users”, while not accepting the initial negative connotation of the term.
Senior executives Apple have made it a habit to place a lot of emphasis on the cons of the variety of devices. At the June WDC, Crane Federighi said that 83% of active users iPhone are using the newest version of the OS. 'This is really important, because it means that you not only get access to all the innovations, but also the timely updates of the security policy, and also, as a developer, you can be sure that your target group will definitely be users with the latest and advanced APIs. And this is what distinguishes only iOS. '
The fact that only 18.1% of smartphones based on Android run on OS 5.0 and higher presents a certain problem for Google, the company's partners and developers, as in terms of the delay in providing access to new 'chips' Android, as well as in terms of security, especially for gadgets with outdated OS versions and 'open' vulnerabilities. But the ecosystem as a whole, and device manufacturers and mobile operators, who prioritize profit, not wanting to pay the cost of testing and distributing updates, should be blamed for such a low level of distribution of the current version of the OS, which ultimately negatively affects the convenience and safety of using devices. .
Google, previously attempting to expedite updates through the Open Handset Alliance, has taken a strong step towards addressing the issue by announcing that its Nexus line will receive regular monthly security updates 'over the air' in conjunction with platform updates. Samsung has also joined a similar patch release schedule. Diversity does not in any way impede the perspective.
At the same time, the centralized approach Apple to updates, with all its advantages, failed to keep users from security problems. In June, a vulnerability became known iOS. It was fixed in version iOS 8.4, but before that it could 'load' infected 'HTML code into an email opened with the built-in email client. At the same time, the computer security agency FireEye reports a detected attack on devices iOS. And Patrick Wardle, a security researcher at Synak, demonstrated vulnerabilities in OS X at the last Black Hat conference.
One of the downsides of the 'monocultural' approach Apple is the fact that a vulnerability in the latest software could potentially affect a much larger proportion of users when compared to Android. All bets Apple are made on the same principle. The negative side can also be the company's 'overprotectiveness', forcing developers to submit applications for approval, instead of checking the code for security and the possibility of private information leaks. In turn, developers for Android have to take into account much more variations in screen sizes and devices themselves than their colleagues from the camp iOS, but these difficulties can be overcome, at least if they compare with the gap between user level iOS and Android, as well as a long-standing issue Android with audio lag.
Google certainly doesn’t feel the need to sit back. In his letter, a Google representative outlined the company's commitment to achieving stability of devices based on Android through the API of its services and libraries and Material Design standards. And in May, a preview version of the upcoming Cloud Test Lab project was released, within which developers will be able to conduct automated testing of their products on various virtual hardware configurations, which are already offered by Amazon Device Farm and Amazon App Testing. Access to the service is still closed, but the company expects it to solve many problems with device fragmentation. The company is reassembling Android piece by piece to get a more acceptable 'alloy'. Maybe this time it will be something worthy.
Original article by Thomas Claburn
Elir: the title of the article looked promising, but the author did not provide us with more or less important conclusions, perhaps, having lost the logic of the narrative closer to the middle of the article. This, in principle, does not negate the relevance of the question raised: is fragmentation really terrible? With due effort, this can and should be used to your advantage. Yes, security suffers, vulnerabilities in Android are revealed one after another, but this is the nature of the OS, if you are a little more careful, there will be no problems. Fragmentation in versions is gradually smoothed out, and the variety of devices, in my opinion, is a big plus.