Android Fragmentation is a concept heavily thrown about in most media about Android nowadays. Android fragmentation is the term for the number of different handsets and operating versions of Android out in the wild currently; phones running Android versions 1.5 to 2.3 and anywhere in-between, not to mention customized ROMs and carrier versions. It has plagued Android almost since its inception, and many developers are left wondering how to deal with this irksome problem.
The truth of the matter is that fragmentation is not a new thing; it is a common problem seen in open-source programs and operating systems. Linux, which Android is based on, has suffered from fragmentation almost since its inception as well. It is a thorny problem, because it is near-impossible for developers to hit such a broad range of targets; they can never be quite sure what platform their program is going to be run on, and whether or not a custom carrier skin or theme will change the basic functionality of the phone.
There are, however, steps that can be taken against Android fragmentation. The most useful is to decide on a baseline Android operating system to build against. There are some that call Android fragmentation "progress" instead; they say that users running older phones shouldn't expect to be able to run all apps designed for newer phones. This is true, to a certain extent; many would agree that it is unrealistic to be developing against Android 1.5 as a baseline now, for example. It is equally unreasonable, however, to assume that you can develop against the newest versions; it is rare in the phone world that the majority of handsets will have upgraded to the most recent version, and the market majority will be one or two versions behind. That said, you should plan accordingly and develop to a version you believe will be the most prevalent on Android handsets that will use your app, and over time you can phase in new features or build to a higher baseline OS version.
The second point to be made here is that Android fragmentation has actually diminished recently, and is expected to over time. Google has announced that they will take measures to combat fragmentation, including a special Fragments API, and they have also announced they will make stricter hardware requirements and mandate updates to major carriers to avoid Android fragmentation.
For now, however, Android fragmentation is still an issue, and one that developers have to deal with; the tradeoff has to be made between cutting-edge and compatibility, and even though many developers choose to develop to a baseline OS that many phones should have, they don't have the resources to deal with minor problems that crop up here and there with custom carriers and handsets. It is a problem that will hopefully alleviate soon, but for now all we can do is cope.
Michael Dorf teaches at LearnComputer! (learncomputer.com), which offers instructor-led local, online and onsite Android training for companies and public. Sign up for our flagship Android Bootcamp course and become proficient with Android in just four days!
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