As much as I like Android, there’s no denying the huge amount of fragmentation when it comes to software. Google announced Android 4.1 Jelly Bean on the first day of Google I/O, and it’s only coming to a handful of devices in July. The Motorola Xoom, Galaxy Nexus and Nexus S are first on the update list, but there’s no telling when other devices will be so lucky.
In an effort to slow the rate of fragmentation, Google is betting on the Android Platform Development Kit. The Android Platform Development Kit is a set of tools given to device manufacturers that will help them prep their devices for major Android updates. Google will provide the PDK to these companies around three months before the updates are released publicly.It’s Google’s hope that this will give manufacturers enough time to get the latest versions of Android on their new and existing devices in a timely fashion.
That’s just one half of the puzzle though. Android updates for smartphones still have to go through carriers before they are sent out to customers. There’s still a chance the carriers will not approve the update, send it back and delay the process further. Still, some progress is better than none.
Website Referenced: Gotta Be Mobile
