The low end of Android -- particularly in the GPU realm -- is much lower on low-end Android devices. An iPhone 3 decimates a Dream/Magic, for instance. There are new Android devices coming out that still don't hold a match to the original iPhone.
That isn't fragmentation. It's disturbing hearing it described as that. It's consumer choice.
Really Android needs a "gaming index", similar to the reality that some PCs -- just like some Macs -- are really shitty for gameplay, whereas others are high-end superstars, the devices in the Android market should have clear rankings. The Nexus One, for instance, has a terrible GPU. The Galaxy S is a good 3X faster or more.
I agree with you and would go further: consumer choice and fragmentation go hand-in-hand.
As much as some chafe against the "Jobsian" world of Apple products, Steve makes many choices for you and most of those choices are right for most people most of the time. That's about the best you can do.
I'm reminded of a classic Joel post "Controlling your environment makes you happy" [1] (which, in my opinion, is one of the most important things ever written on UI/UX), particularly the section on "Choices" [2]:
"But wait!" you say. "It's important to have options for advanced users who want to tweak their environments!" In reality, it's not as important as you think ... Every time you provide an option, you're asking the user to make a decision.
Lots of comparisons are made between iOS and Android. It's important to understand that they're fundamentally different. iOS is a brand. Android is a commodity, arguably even a philosophy. Give someone who has used an iDevice any other iDevice and they know what to do. Give someone who has a Samsung Galaxy S an HTC Evo and they'll likely be somewhat lost.
I would go so far as to say as people buying an iPhone are buying an iPhone; people buying an Android phone are buying a phone (or, in some cases, they're not buying an iPhone).
Anyway, the fragmentation problem with Android isn't really about the UI. It's about the hardware. I've heard from multiple sources that OpenGL is just a nightmare on Android because of allt he different GPUs. Some have different strengths and weaknesses to others and different idiosyncrasies.
My personal belief is that Android handset manufacturers are participating in seppuku. Their interests are different to those of Google. Android handset makers (and carriers!) want to differentiate themselves somehow. That's a big part of your fragmentation problem right there. They don't want to be interchangeable (and, in the carrier's case, just dumb pipes).
Google wants to commoditize the mobile platform. And they're succeeding. But with ever-cheapning hardware costs, all the handset makers are doing is racing each other to the bottom.
As much as some chafe against the "Jobsian" world of Apple products, Steve makes many choices for you and most of those choices are right for most people most of the time. That's about the best you can do.
Couldn't disagree more. I like keyboards on my smartphones, and GPUs fall low on the scale of needs: I use it mostly for productive or professional use. For a lot of smartphone buyers, Rage graphics just don't matter.
I would go so far as to say as people buying an iPhone are buying an iPhone; people buying an Android phone are buying a phone (or, in some cases, they're not buying an iPhone).
People buying an Android are buying a Smartphone. No they aren't buying a brand or some sort of ridiculous personal identity. As a smartphone the Android devices are a bang up option.
My personal belief is that Android handset manufacturers are participating in seppuku.
You mean the makers who have seen the platform's sales increase 1200%+ since January? I would say the metrics would say that you are completely off the mark.
The personal example was anecdotal. The same thought process applies to many people.
The GP opines that the Jobsian "he'll choose what's right for you" model is, as you quoted, right for most people most of the time. I would say that is absolutely not correct, and the iPhone has succeeded despite that model, not because of it: Great integration, software, and branding has overcome an incredible lack of diversity and choice.
That isn't fragmentation. It's disturbing hearing it described as that. It's consumer choice.
Really Android needs a "gaming index", similar to the reality that some PCs -- just like some Macs -- are really shitty for gameplay, whereas others are high-end superstars, the devices in the Android market should have clear rankings. The Nexus One, for instance, has a terrible GPU. The Galaxy S is a good 3X faster or more.