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As if there aren't enough issues to deal with in today's mobile phone world - those related to security and privacy foremost - there's one more thing that seems to be flying under the radar: Fragmentation.
Device fragmentation, as defined, is the situation when a certain number of users are using the same device model yet running on different versions of its operating system.
Why does this matter? Because, to the strictest sense, it doesn't put out a level playing field; some may be ahead, others will be behind, depending on if they're able to update their OS's to the latest versions or if those responsible for rolling out updates aren't doing so in a timely manner.
According to ScientiaMobile, there are 63,272 device profiles according to its most recent 2019 report, at a growth rate of almost 20 per cent per year. From 2018-19 alone, the industry intelligence provider added over 5,600 profiles. And while not all of these are in use at present, a good chunk are still being utilised globally; some devices are even from the past decade.
From the first quarters of 2015 to 2019, the number of smartphone models almost doubled in most continents, with Asia having the highest number of mobile profiles.
That said, we can make a case for user experience being most hard-hit in the fragmentation problem.
Fragmentation is most often associated with Google's Android, thanks to a seemingly endless supply of mobiles running this OS, coupled with the fact that a number of manufacturers of these devices throw in some customisations or even their own versions. This, in turn, would require more layers of updates, which, in the end, will affect end-users.
Also, an OS with so many layers, so to speak, can pose a problem for developers: An app that will be put out will not just have to adhere to the base OS' rules, but it must also ensure that it jives with the other throw-ins manufacturers have put in. Extra work, in short.
Apple's ecosystem, meanwhile, is more streamlined: Across the iPhone, iPad and Mac, access to your stuff - anywhere, at any time - wouldn't be a problem with just an Apple ID login. An iPhone is guaranteed not to have any skins or tweaks to its OS, even from carriers.
From a business standpoint, it can be argued that different OS versions are part of the game, because each company is unique, and they want to differentiate themselves from the rest of the pack. However, it would be more appreciated if there were some more streamlining done, for the sake of users and their mobile experience and security.
Changing a smartphone's design isn't an issue; what's running it is what matters the most.
