I’m a big fan of Android, not only because I use the platform, but also because I feel that competition in the mobile space has been good. This competition has allowed a technological version of Darwinian evolution to come about that makes the strong platforms even stronger while at the same time weeding out those floundering in the shallow end of the mobile tech gene pool.

Android itself is a strong operating system, but the way that the platform is delivered to end-users is critically flawed. Rather than taking the iOS approach where updates are sent to users directly, Google chose to adopt a much more convoluted approach.

Whenever Google releases either an update to Android – whether that be a tweaks and bugfixes or critical patches for serious flaws – or a completely a new version of operating system, the code then goes to device OEMs to be customized with their own tweaks and personalizations. Then, for smartphones and tablets that are hooked to a carrier contract, the carriers then get a chance to add their own branding. Not only is this a long chain, but the problem is made exponentially worse by the fact that neither the OEMs nor the carriers feel there’s much of a benefit in pushing free software updates to customers, and would much rather focus on selling those people a new device.

Bottom line, unless you buy a smartphone or tablet from Google — and pay the full, unlocked price — then you’re at the mercy of the OEM and carriers.

Read the Full Article: Source –Z D NET
http://www.zdnet.com/android-fragmentation-turning-devices-into-a-toxic-hellstew-of-vulnerabilities-7000028342/

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