Don't Think Android Fragmentation Is A Problem? Most Developers Disagree.

Greg Kumparak

Greg Kumparak is the Mobile Editor at Techcrunch. Greg has been writing for the TechCrunch network since May of 2008. Greg was born just outside of San Jose, and now lives in the East Bay of California. → Learn More

Monday, April 4th, 2011

Having done a good bit of development with Android (some folks make scrapbooks on the weekend; I fight semicolons.), I’ve seen my fair share of Android’s fragmentation issues. Though they’re generally more annoying (a resolution quirk here, a touchscreen behavior oddity there) than they are insurmountable or deal-breaking, they’re definitely not non-existent.

But don’t take my word for it — I’m just a hobbyist. Baird Research polled 250 working developers (the dudes who do this for a living) on the matter, asking them straight up: “Do You View Android Fragmentation As A Problem?”

Turns out, the vast majority most of’em do.

The breakdown:

  • Overall, 87% (217) of the 250 developers view Android’s fragmentation as some sort of problem, ranging from “Somewhat of a problem” to a “Huge Problem”.
  • Nearly 1/4 (24%, or 60) of the developers went as far as classifying it as a “Huge Problem”.
  • Only 14% (35) of the 250 developers don’t consider it a problem at all.

Take it as you will. Commenters on the Internet are quick to unleash massive diatribes anytime dares mention Android’s fragmentation issues — but when the people who do this stuff to put food on the table say there are issues, there are probably issues.

[Via Fortune]

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