It’s been months since Google released the source code for Android 4.4 KitKat, but some phone and tablet makers continue to release new devices running software that’s as old as Android 4.0. While most newer Android apps will run on older devices, having to support older devices could be holding developers back from implementing newer […]
fragmentation
Google cracks down on “incompatible” versions of Android
This week Acer planned to launch a new smartphone in China running Aliyun OS. But Google appears to have put a stop to it — and now the California-based search giant is explaining why. Aliyun OS Â is a mobile operating system developed by Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba. It’s based on open source Android code, but […]
Giving old gadgets, new life (or how to interrupt planned obsolescence)
Google recently announced that it would not be releasing a Google Android 4.0 software update for the Nexus One smartphone, because less than 20 months after release, it’s apparently “too old.” Instead, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich will focus on its newer flagship phones. First it will launch first on the new Samsung Galaxy Nexus […]
Android 3.2 comes to the Asus Eee Pad Transformer (while Acer’s tablet gets Android 3.1)
Fragmentation feels like a dirty word these days, but let’s face it: not all Android devices are running the same version of the operating system. And it seems like it gets a little worse every day as Google keeps pushing out updates and it’s up to manufacturers to determine if and when to push out updates […]