We recently had the opportunity to show you the latest batch of Google data on the adoption rates of each version of its operating system and we lamented, as unfortunately has become customary, the slow progress of Android Lollipop. Today, however, we have another slice of statistics that allows us to better understand the problem facing Mountain View and the extent to which fragmentation really goes in their operating system: according to a recent study, there is already nothing less than 24.000 different models of Android smartphones, phablets, tablets and wearables.
An impressive graphical representation of Android fragmentation
The exact figure has been provided by the consultant OpenSignal and it's nothing more and nothing less than 24.098 different models of Android devices, but to get an idea of the enormity of this, images are once our best weapons: the chart that the consultancy has prepared makes it perfectly clear that the mosaic is that it is the world right now Android.
The number of Android devices has doubled in just two years
We cannot say that the figure takes us completely by surprise, in any case, since last year we could already see that the total number of Android devices then already reached almost 19.000 devices. It cannot fail to be noticed, however, that in just one more year, the figure has increased by another 5.000 units. If we compare with the data of 2013In fact, we find that there is more than double of Android devices than then, when they were "only" about 12.000.
It is true that the growth rate, in any case, has decreased (something to which the fact that the tablet market has probably stopped growing and has already entered its maturity phase has probably contributed), but the truth is that the slowdown has been so slight that it is to be expected that by 2016 we will find that the figure has increased again significantly, perhaps reaching 27.000 or 28.000 models.
The number of manufacturers also increases
The one that the number of Android devices continue to grow at a still high rate seems guaranteed, furthermore, by the fact that the number of manufacturers (each with its own catalog) continues to increase: they are already More than 1.200 when only 3 years ago there were about 500. In the midst of this growing diversity of brands, however, Samsung it manages to remain the clear dominator of the market, with a share that remains very similar to last year.
Flaw or virtue?
Although it is inevitable to read these two in the context of the problem of fragmentation that plagues Android, it must be recognized that this diversity is also one of its virtues, since it is also a huge advantage for users to have a variety so wide of devices (in terms of price, features and design) to choose from. What do you think about it, default o virtue?