Android 2.1 and Fragmentation

[Mr. Premium]

Ok, first off if you haven't heard HTC's roadmap for next year is out and it looks like T-Mobile is getting first dibs with the Nexus.

Exclusive: first Google Phone / Nexus One photos, Android 2.1 on-board -- Engadget

The new device is going to run Android 2.1 and have way better hardware (i.e. Snapdragon!!!1!111!). 2.1 is suppose to have new elements like 3d viewing of open apps like the Pre.

For the most part apps are backwards compatible, but could this fragmentation hurt android in the future. Is there ever going to be a point where backwards compatibility ends?

I just hope our Droids lasts 2 years. I know it's Android and flexible but still... technology keeps moving faster.

 

[Donkey Hodie]

I'm not an Android developer either but I expect that the architecture is such that unless an application specifically wants to use a new feature that's only available on a certain rev. of the OS it'll run on all of them unmodified. Linux apps. do a nice job of running on a wide variety of platforms/displays/graphics adaptors and Android apps. will probably be able to do the same. I'm certain there will be some developers or apps. that want to use a whizzy new feature that's only available from release x.y forward but they'll do it in the knowledge that their base will be small (at least at first) and they're trading off sales volume against peoples desire for the new feature.

Bottom line: I think it's healthy for Android and the Moto. Droid that new features are being developed for the platform. Yes, the Droid will eventually be obsolete but will probably be viable for the "normal" life span for hi-tech devices. For myself, I'll eventually (soon) have all the apps. I need or want to use the phone both as a tool and a toy. There'll eventually come a day that there's some new capability I'm lusting after that the Droid doesn't offer but I expect it'll be a while. In the meantime, I'll keep using & enjoying it.

 

[Martin030908]

downside to technology... it doesn't take long before it's obsolete.

 

[JayMonster]

First, while everybody is going crazy about a 1Ghz processor, there is as of yet no guarantee that you are going to see marked improvements from it over the OMAP + GPU configuration of the Droid.

Second, I am sure that 2.1 will get to the Droid (thank goodness no Sense or other skin to muck that up)

There are a lot of questions about fragmentation of Android... and I go back and forth (and one of the reasons, I dislike skins like Sense and Motoblur) Techie people may notice this fragmentation, but John Q. Public probably won't. To them "upgrades" is not something you normally see in a phone, so what they get, is what they expect to have and changes to the underlying OS is far less important to them than it is to people like us that follow the day to day changes to the OS. (I guess this is a case of ignorance is bliss)

So, I guess this is really a loing way of saying... Only time will tell.

 

[LordKastle]

The difference between phones this generation will be limited. With 4G coming late next year then is when other companies including Motorola will be waiting to bring other products to the market.

If you think the processors of any of the current generation phones will make a world of difference, think again. It comes down to what the developers are capable of and no phone in this generation will separate from the pack. Your phone is not a laptop....yet, and won't be this generation.

The Google phone is not coming to Verizon and the thread is in another forum. I am happy too...I will repost my response:
http://www.droidforums.net/forum/android-smart-phones/8740-nexus-one-going-tmobile-new-post.html

Good for them. Google is trying to monopolize the entire industry. Even Microsoft stayed away from producing a "Microsoft phone"..Apple has refrained also from a similar technique. Apple may produce their own OS and their own phone but they aren't licensing their operating system out to other companies to use.

Google wants you to become a slave to them. Have you seen the advertisements? They want every company, every industry, and all the information of the world to be in a nest-egg of their own dictatorship and disposal. Every time an app is released that Google has not created, they try to make their own and promote it as superior.

I did not approve of Verizon denying Apple, but there is some warrant to this decision.

(And use common sense..if Google wanted to produce a phone that was truly ascended from the rest, they wouldn't release it during the end of the 3g cycle...and if it is a pure data phone, which I doubt, then even more reason to abstain.)

And to answer your other question..developers program for the operating system, not the phone. Developers will abandon Android if the operating system becomes fragmented...there is no profit in developing 20 different versions of programs for every different phone and hoping people buy it.

 

[cb3FSU]

I think the Droid will be the best phone available on Verizon for the forseeable future. I waited what, 3 years for a Verizon phone comparable to the iphone without switching to AT&T...that was with using an LG Voyager. I think with all the Droid is capable of we wont be too jealous of what some other phone on an inferior carrier can or cant do.

2 YEARS FROM NOW, imagine what we will be replacing our Droids with...

 

[JayMonster]

I think the Droid will be the best phone available on Verizon for the forseeable future. I waited what, 3 years for a Verizon phone comparable to the iphone without switching to AT&T...that was with using an LG Voyager. I think with all the Droid is capable of we wont be too jealous of what some other phone on an inferior carrier can or cant do.

2 YEARS FROM NOW, imagine what we will be replacing our Droids with...

2 years from now... the 4g Droid or as it will probably be called... the 4G-D2 (and suddenly why they paid Lucas becomes clear)

 

[dpw2atox]

honestly the fragmentation issue isnt googles fault. it's the fault of cell phone makers which release a phone, then decide they are done with supporting it. I know a lot of phones are going to be updated from Android 1.5/1.6 to 2.0.1 in the coming months but the Droid is a prime example of how updates should go. 2.0.1 was released, 1.5 weeks later it was being pushed to the Droid.

The other problem is the custom uis (sense, blur, etc) that require updating to work with a new version of the OS.

The only thing google could do is make it part of the license that if a new version is released, they have X weeks to update to it or be in violation or something but even then that would cause issues.

The best and safest bet is for them to be careful with the SDK and make sure it is easy for developers to code for multiple phones and OS versions.

 

[cereal killer]

I think the Droid will be the best phone available on Verizon for the forseeable future. I waited what, 3 years for a Verizon phone comparable to the iphone without switching to AT&T...that was with using an LG Voyager. I think with all the Droid is capable of we wont be too jealous of what some other phone on an inferior carrier can or cant do.

2 YEARS FROM NOW, imagine what we will be replacing our Droids with...

2 years from now... the 4g Droid or as it will probably be called... the 4G-D2 (and suddenly why they paid Lucas becomes clear)

funny : )

but there is some truth to this (not necesarily that they will call it 4G-D2)

 

[LordKastle]

Anyone with a Droid should not be concerned about any future phones in the 3G generation. The only benefit of the sheep like tendencies of people is now Android developers have no choice but to develop cross-platform and to include the Droid in that mix. When your most potential customers are with one phone, you cannot ignore them. No one cares about the G1..no one cares about any Android devices prior to this generation's because they were nothing but a testing zone.

Any Google phone or related Android device on 3G will not have any impact on development for programs compatible with "the" Droid. The masses cannot be ignored...well if the developers want to profit. If Google wanted to produce a real Droid/iPhone killer they would have waited until next generation. They just want a quick profit/iPhone imitation.

So if the 2.1 OS comes out before 4g, then you can bet "the" Droid will get it.

 

[dpw2atox]

Don't forget, the leaked update schedule from Verizon shows a Jan 22nd update for the Droid. I'd be willing to be money that it will be the 2.1 update for the Droid.

Figure we will see 2.1 officially released by the end of December, early January then we also might see some extra features added to it for the Droid such as Flash support, Bluetooth Voice Dial which Motorola is said to be working on a patch for, etc.

All in all though I am very happy with the Droid and if you review the work done on the SDKs, Google is trying hard to make the SDKs more complete. Since rumor has it 2.1 will bring a revamped market, expect a lot more changes to also come to the 2.1 SDK and possibly a Release 3 of the 1.6 SDK.

 

[JayMonster]

2 YEARS FROM NOW, imagine what we will be replacing our Droids with...

2 years from now... the 4g Droid or as it will probably be called... the 4G-D2 (and suddenly why they paid Lucas becomes clear)

funny : )

but there is some truth to this (not necesarily that they will call it 4G-D2)[/QUOTE]

Though said tongue in cheek, 2010 will be the year of 4G experiments, and 2011 will be the time for the 4G to really breakout, and the next evolution of Droid to appear... right on cue.