Your android Fragmentation Update

Spoiler -- it's still a mess.

That's phone by phone, and now let's take a peek at android version statistics --

So, it's still pretty bad. Even after all these years. In fact some could argue it's worse. Google has managed to reign some folks in with their controlling policies for manufacturers who want to utilize the Google Play store and all the rest, even if it's not something a company championing open source methods would typically do.

Things are quite a bit simpler on the other, greener side of the fence.

As long as android continues to be aimed at the lowest common financial denominator, it's my guess that the the fragmentation issue will continue to be pretty apparent while iOS device owners will enjoy support for many more years (support that may actually increase in years as SoC's become even more powerful -- perhaps that, too, may save buy-one-get-one-free android sufferers).

(Funny bonus information: Gizmodo titled their article, "What android Fragmentation Looks Like" and yet the link text is, "http://gizmodo.com/what-android-fragmentation-looks-like-its-growing-1624662310" which amuses me -- and it should amuse you, too)

With more devices releasing, it's no wonder fragmentation is increasing. Considering I was able to get Android 4.4.4 (the most recent version) running on a Galaxy S via Cyanogenmod, goes to show that a lot of the problem is not with the hardware, but the manufacturer that supports the device.

Google's focus on programs like Nexus and the upcoming Android One will give them more control. Google also claims that despite software fragmentation, 93% of all Android devices are using the latest version of Google Play Services.

Let's take a look at flagship Android phones from H2 2012 (launch of the Nexus 4) into H1 2014.

There have been 4 SoC's (only 2 distinct designs) used in just about every major flagship, all from Qualcomm:

• Snapdragon S4 Pro (H2 2012) and its improved version, Snapdragon 600 (H1 2013)
• Snapdragon 800 (H2 2013) and its improved version, Snapdragon 801 (H1 2014)

All, but a few of those devices, had a resolution of 1920x1080. Those without a 1080 resolution, had a resolution of 1280x768/1280x720.

The only major phones that didn't use a Snapdragon SoC, are the international variants of Samsung's Galaxy line. Those devices used Samsung's Exynos SoCs and generally lacked LTE support.

With Qualcomm's competition stepping it up, the amount of SoC fragmentation is likely to increase in 2015. This shouldn't be much of an issue as Android L with the new ART runtime offers native compatibility for ARM64, MIPS64 and x86-64.

@NVIDIATI:

With more devices releasing, it's no wonder fragmentation is increasing. Considering I was able to get Android 4.4.4 (the most recent version) running on a Galaxy S via Cyanogenmod, goes to show that a lot of the problem is not with the hardware, but the manufacturer that supports the device.

The source of the issue isn't as important as the fact that the issue exists and will continue to exist. What percentage of android phone users do you think employ Cyanogenmod on their device?

Google's focus on programs like Nexus and the upcoming Android One will give them more control. Google also claims that despite software fragmentation, 93% of all Android devices are using the latest version of Google Play Services.

I find that statistic curious, because it would be more meaningful indicate what percentage of android phone users can utilize all the apps on the Google Play store, not just the ones who can see that those apps exist.

Also, neither the Nexus nor android one program have had a meaningful impact on fragmentation yet, except to add to it. It's always coming, every fix is always coming... It's an old record spun way too many times. It's like the boy who cried wolf. One day, they may actually get their stuff together, but it may be too late.

Let's take a look at flagship Android phones from H2 2012 (launch of the Nexus 4) into H1 2014.

There have been 4 SoC's (only 2 distinct designs) used in just about every major flagship, all from Qualcomm:

• Snapdragon S4 Pro (H2 2012) and its improved version, Snapdragon 600 (H1 2013)
• Snapdragon 800 (H2 2013) and its improved version, Snapdragon 801 (H1 2014)

All, but a few of those devices, had a resolution of 1920x1080. Those without a 1080 resolution, had a resolution of 1280x768/1280x720.

The only major phones that didn't use a Snapdragon SoC, are the international variants of Samsung's Galaxy line. Those devices used Samsung's Exynos SoCs and generally lacked LTE support.

With Qualcomm's competition stepping it up, the amount of SoC fragmentation is likely to increase in 2015. This shouldn't be much of an issue as Android L with the new ART runtime offers native compatibility for ARM64, MIPS64 and x86-64.

Couple things --

• Looking at flagship android phones is fine but it's my guess that the majority of android phones out in the hands of end users today are probably not flagship-level phones. If they were, the iPhone wouldn't be trouncing everyone so entirely. The iPhone 5s sold more in a month than the Galaxy S5 has managed in the phone's entire lifetime. If android flagship phones were the prime reason for fragmentation, we wouldn't have the hundreds and hundreds of unique flavors that we can clearly see do exist.
• The other thing I want to mention is the same as the last thing -- it just hasn't happened yet. android L is not yet here, it has not yet unified the android universe, and I don't know if it can or not. I think you're right that fragmentation woes will only get worse as time goes on, and android will further solidify its place in history as the feature phone replacement OS.

Maybe it'll all change with android L, but I have to say, I've seen wolf cried a whole lot over the course of android's development. Welp, that wolf coming for Apple still hasn't arrived, and Apple's house isn't made of straw anymore.

But I wouldn't mind a surprise, it's been a long, long, long time...

EDIT: Added the bold text to represent your quotes, @NVIDIATI, the quote blocks aren't quite as clear as they used to be, depending on how you utilize them in the html.

@musicalmac

The source of the issue isn't as important as the fact that the issue exists and will continue to exist. What percentage of android phone users do you think employ Cyanogenmod on their device?

Actually, the source of fragmentation is very important. Only when the problem at the source is addressed, will the problem be fixed. My referencing to Cyanogenmod was an example that shows later versions of Google's Android can run on a device that was only supported by the manufacturer up to Android 2.3. I was not referencing that example for the purpose of describing a solution for users.

If you're actually curious about the number of Cyanogenmod users, at the end of 2013 there was a little over 10 million. Since that time, the CM team has expanded device support, and have launched as the stock OS on two devices, the OPPO N1, and the OnePlus One.

I find that statistic curious, because it would be more meaningful indicate what percentage of android phone users can utilize all the apps on the Google Play store, not just the ones who can see that those apps exist.

Also, neither the Nexus nor android one program have had a meaningful impact on fragmentation yet, except to add to it. It's always coming, every fix is always coming... It's an old record spun way too many times. It's like the boy who cried wolf. One day, they may actually get their stuff together, but it may be too late.

Having the latest version of Google Play Services, means a device and its apps (Android 2.3 or later) can have access to Google's latest API's.

Android One program hasn't launched yet. The Nexus program has also been growing year over year. Due to that success, a number of OEM's have been using stock or close to stock Android in their more recent devices. Thanks to the popularity of the Nexus program, there was also the introduction of Google Play editions of flagship devices.

Couple things --

• Looking at flagship android phones is fine but it's my guess that the majority of android phones out in the hands of end users today are probably not flagship-level phones. If they were, the iPhone wouldn't be trouncing everyone so entirely. The iPhone 5s sold more in a month than the Galaxy S5 has managed in the phone's entire lifetime. If android flagship phones were the prime reason for fragmentation, we wouldn't have the hundreds and hundreds of unique flavors that we can clearly see do exist.
• The other thing I want to mention is the same as the last thing -- it just hasn't happened yet. android L is not yet here, it has not yet unified the android universe, and I don't know if it can or not. I think you're right that fragmentation woes will only get worse as time goes on, and android will further solidify its place in history as the feature phone replacement OS.

Maybe it'll all change with android L, but I have to say, I've seen wolf cried a whole lot over the course of android's development. Welp, that wolf coming for Apple still hasn't arrived, and Apple's house isn't made of straw anymore.

But I wouldn't mind a surprise, it's been a long, long, long time...

Considering many apps and features are designed with flagship devices in mind, the hardware inside flagship devices is a key point in all of this.

My reference to Android L was regarding the support for upcoming architectures in the mobile industry.

Again, the problem falls to the manufacturers (and in some cases the carriers) that do not update a device to the latest version of Android.

Speaking of crying wolf, we've been hearing about Android's growing fragmentation for years. Yet here we are in 2014, and we still haven't seen large scale doom and gloom that's generally spelled out via negative predictions from annual fragmentation reports.

@NVIDIATI:

The fragmentation has led to doom & gloom. One of the major factors that led me to cross over to Apple's camp was a blaring lack of support for highly polished apps and games on Android.

Got old pretty quick having two-year old iOS apps finally getting ported over, and even more frustrating when they would be ported over but did not work with my specific android device.

I believe developers have been feeling the doom and gloom, which probably accounts for the fact alone that they either focus on iOS first and foremost before even considering Android, if at all.

Your anecdotal evidence is not the reality. You would ignore the amount of support Android is getting from major players in the industry. In some ways the feature support even exceeds iOS. As this is a gaming website, a gaming example is appropriate. Android applications (as seen on Tegra K1) already utilize full OpenGL 4.x or OpenGL 4.x via extensions of OpenGL ES 3.x, meanwhile iOS devices (due to hardware limitations) can only go up to OpenGL 3.x.

If fragmentation was leading to doom and gloom in the Android ecosystem, then we would be seeing support decrease over time as fragmentation grows. Right now we're seeing the opposite.

@NVIDIATI: The reason I said the source of the fragmentation isn't as important now is because it's ubiquitous, it's everywhere and it's everybody's fault. Examining the source of the android fragmentation today is like trying to learn C# before you launch a game on iOS.

Cyanogenmod releasing a phone adds to the fragmentation. Other than that, it's a good tool for enthusiasts who want their phone to work reasonably well.

As @mister-man kindly pointed out, the Google Play store may be accessible to nearly every android phone sufferer, but that certainly doesn't mean all the apps are accessible. A wise man would say the best camera is the one you have on you, and the same principle applies to usability. The best apps are the high quality ones you can actually download and use (the ones that actually exist).

But most of all, I'm curious to hear about, in your words, the doom and gloom of android's fragmentation woes. You cite specifically, "Speaking of crying wolf, we've been hearing about Android's growing fragmentation for years. Yet here we are in 2014, and we still haven't seen large scale doom and gloom that's generally spelled out via negative predictions from annual fragmentation reports." Can you please spell out exactly what doom and gloom scenario I or anyone else have spelled out previously? You are very specific here, and I'm curious about what that is.

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Bonus information -- android support isn't all that good, nor has it ever been that good. You go into any store, and the iPhone section for 3rd party cases will be many, many times larger than any other phone. Not to mention the camera add-ons, specific speaker hardware, and all other sorts of enhancements. How many games are available that fully utilize the capabilities of the Tegra K1, and how many devices are available that can play those games?

@musicalmac

If the source of the problem wasn't important, then Google wouldn't have Nexus devices, Google Play editions of flagships, or upcoming programs like Android One.

Cyanogenmod is vanilla Android with some additional features for device customization. So when the CM team launches a device running stock CM, it's similar to a Nexus or Google Play device.

The reason an app might not be accessible is usually due to the OEM's software on the device, which brings me back to my original point, OEM's creating custom skins that greatly differ from vanilla Android are the cause for incompatibiliy.

Doom and gloom, as in the increase of fragmentation will create a decrease in support for Android.

Taking a step back and looking at another ecosystem, Microsoft's Windows doesn't have OEM's launching their own customized version of the OS. This is how Windows has been able to thrive on such a massive amount of different hardware configurations. Google is attempting to do something similar. They want hardware variation, but they don't want software incompatibility. This is why Android One, Android TV, Android Wear and Android Auto are all going to be Google controlled (no custom versions from OEM's).

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Tegra K1 PC ports using OpenGL 4.x:

• Trine 2
• War Thunder
• Talos Principle
• Portal
• Half Life 2
• Pure Chess
• Rochard
• Anomaly 2
• Flyhunter: Origins
• Dungeon Defenders Eternity
• Chucke's Challenge 3D: Reloaded
• Serious Sam 3 (coming soon)

Right now NVIDIA is the only ARM hardware manufacturer to offer this support and required performance levels in their hardware, so only Tegra K1 devices can play them.

There are two Tegra K1 tablets on the market, the Xiaomi MiPad and NVIDIA Shield Tablet.

A rumoured HTC/Nexus tablet (all but confirmed) is using Tegra K1 and should be launching in the coming months (this would also fall in line with NVIDIA's claim of launching Tegra K1 with Denver cores in the coming months).

NVIDIA's Tegra K1 will also have a strong presence in Android TV devices launching fall of this year and it is already used in the Android TV dev kit.

@NVIDIATI: So, all this is mostly about stuff that still hasn't happened, or hasn't really had any meaningful impact?

Always on the way, never arriving. It's like a long hallway in a nightmare. You never quite make it to the end, it just gets farther away...

You can't compare Windows at android if you want to make a point, either, because MS made a fortune on an OS that had to be licensed and purchased, not one that was given away for (essentially) free. I'm still fairly certain Google's foray into mobile computing has cost them more than it's helped them (I could be wrong, a surprise I'd welcome) -- especially after the Motorola disaster.

And I think what you cite as a "doom and gloom" scenario in relation to android's increasing fragmentation issue (lack of support?) has absolutely come true. Nearly everyone who purchased an android phone from a wireless provider can tell you all about that, the software support has been abysmal. The hardware support for android devices (compared to their main competitors) is also abysmal -- iPhone owners enjoy thousands upon thousands of 3rd party cases and hardware additions (including stuff like a FLIR addon!!), and android device owners get... almost nothing.

12 games that are supported on two devices is not what I would call meaningful support. That's what I would call more fragmentation.

@musicalmac

Contrary, there are always new things coming, that's why the tech industry is always evolving. I often discuss things that are new or upcoming as I presume many users are already aware of what's currently available. Some of what I've discussed has already made a meaningful impact.

Free or not, my comparison to MS Windows is valid. Windows is a vanilla OS that can run on numerous hardware configurations, this is the direction Google is aiming for Android.

Android, in general, shares a lot of compatibility with already existing hardware (controller, keyboard, mouse, sound system, TV, printer, etc.), and yes, you can get a thermal camera attachment. So, believe it or not, support for Android has only been growing. Even carrier updates have been improving drastically over the past couple years.

Tegra K1 is a new generation of ARM SoC's, one that helps bring mobile closer to the capabilities of the leading edge platform (PC), hence the games being PC ports. Tegra K1 is not trying to be different or create trouble for developers, NVIDIA is converging the mobile and PC market. Other SoC's will be able to offer said support down the road, just not as fast as NVIDIA.