Friday, April 8, 2011

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

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]