One of the characteristics of the Android ecosystem throughout its history has been the fragmentation it has suffered. For some, this has been a positive thing, while for others, it has become a phenomenon with more drawbacks than advantages and that prevented having a stable and more universal ecosystem. This reached its peak in 2015, when more than 24.000 different devices with some version of the green robot software.
With the launch of Oreo and its slow consolidation, added to the arrival of new tablets and smartphones, it is time to ask again if this division is still one of the most present features of the Mountain View platform or, nevertheless, it is something that little by little it is being solved. Next we will make a brief analysis on this question.
First indicator, market share
When we refer to fragmentation, we can speak on the one hand of the number of terminals that we can find with Android, but also, of the adoption figures of each of its versions. A few days ago we told you that the last one, Oreo, opened 2018 with an implantation of less than 1% and that most of the cake was shared between its three predecessors: Nougat, Marshmallow and Lollipop. The initials have already remained as something merely testimonial.
Android and layers of customization
Although as we said before, most of the devices run with versions 5, 6 and 7 of the green robot platform, the truth is that we can find a series of technology, especially Chinese, that create minor interfaces that, despite being inspired directly by Android, include significant variations that can open the range more and that in some cases, can be installed on a considerable number of devices. A few days ago we told you more about all those layers of customization more implemented.
The role of tablets and smartphones
As we mentioned at the beginning, fragmentation also refers to the catalog of devices that are currently on the market. The current circumstances are very different from those of a few years ago, in the middle of the bubble. Now, the trickle of launches is somewhat more leisurely, especially in formats of 7 inches or more, and in the case of mobiles, some firms like Sony have changed their strategy and they will also launch fewer models per year. Do you think this can be decisive to tackle this phenomenon?
What do you think about fragmentation? Do you think it is something positive or negative? We leave you available related information such as, the first speculations about Android P so you can learn more.