View source for Market fragmentation

Fragmentation in a [[Engineering:Technology|technology]] market happens when a market is composed of multiple highly-incompatible technologies or technology [[Solution stack|stacks]], forcing prospective [[Social:Customer|buyers]] of a single product to commit to an entire [[Software ecosystem|product ecosystem]], rather than maintaining free choice of complementary products and services.
Two common varieties of fragmentation are ''market fragmentation'' and ''version fragmentation''.
Fragmentation is the opposite of, and is solved by standardization.

==Market fragmentation==
Market fragmentation happens when multiple [[Finance:Competition (economics)|competing]] firms offer highly-incompatible technologies or technology [[Solution stack|stacks]], likely leading to [[Social:Vendor lock-in|vendor lock-in]].

==Version fragmentation==
Version fragmentation happens when a firm offers multiple incompatible versions or variations of a single product, either in tandem or over time as a result of accumulated changes to product [[Specification (technical standard)#Information technology|specification]].

===Android and iOS operating systems===
{{Pie chart
 | caption=[[Software:Android (operating system)|Android]] usage fragmentation as of 10 Apr 2020.<ref>[https://www.xda-developers.com/android-version-distribution-statistics-android-studio/ Android Version Distribution statistics will now only be available in Android Studio]</ref>
 | label1 = Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0
 | value1 = 0.20 | color1 = #FFFFFF
 | label2 = Jelly Bean 4.1
 | value2 = 0.6 | color2 = #DFF9EA
 | label3 = Jelly Bean 4.2
 | value3 = 0.8 | color3 = #CDF6DF
 | label4 = Jelly Bean 4.3
 | value4 = 0.3 | color4 = #B0F1CD
 | label5 = KitKat 4.4
 | value5 = 4.0 | color5 = #83E9B1
 | label6 = Lollipop 5.0
 | value6 = 1.8 | color6 = #3DDC84
 | label7 = Lollipop 5.1
 | value7 = 7.4 | color7 = #31B06A
 | label8 = Marshmallow 6.0
 | value8 = 11.2 | color8 = #278D55
 | label9 = Nougat 7.0
 | value9 = 7.5 | color9 = #1F7144
 | label10 = Nougat 7.1
 | value10 = 5.4 | color10 = #195A36
 | label11 = Oreo 8.0
 | value11 = 7.3 | color11 = #14482B
 | label12 = Oreo 8.1
 | value12 = 14.0 | color12 = #0D2E1B
 | label13 = Pie 9
 | value13 = 31.3 | color13 = #081E12
 | label14 = Android 10
 | value14 = 8.2 | color14 = #000000
 }}
{{Pie chart
 | thumb= left
 | caption=[[Software:IOS|iOS]] usage fragmentation as of 10 Dec 2020.<ref>[https://gs.statcounter.com/ios-version-market-share/mobile-tablet/worldwide/#daily-20201210-20201210-bar Mobile & Tablet iOS Version Market Share Worldwide]</ref>
 | other = yes
 | label1 = iOS 13.5
 | value1 = 2.47 | color1 = #C0C0C0
 | label2 = iOS 13.6
 | value2 = 4.05 | color2 = #A0A0A0
 | label3 = iOS 13.7
 | value3 = 4.4 | color3 = #808080
 | label4 = iOS 14.1
 | value4 = 5.15 | color4 = #606060
 | label5 = iOS 14.0
 | value5 = 5.29 | color5 = #404040
 | label6 = iOS 12.4
 | value6 = 6.66 | color6 = #202020
 | label7 = iOS 14.2
 | value7 = 60.91 | color7 = #000000
}}

A term being used in the [[Software:Android (operating system)|Android]] development community is ''Android fragmentation''.<ref name=androiddef>[https://www.webopedia.com/TERM/A/Android_fragmentation.html What is Android fragmentation]</ref> Fragmentation within Android is when a variety of versions of the Android platform, combined with a mixture of hardware result in the inability for some devices to properly run certain applications.<ref name=androiddef /> Despite [[Company:Google|Google]] upgrading its Android operating system to version 4.4, also known as ''KitKat'', users continued to use the earlier versions of the operating system, primarily ''[[Software:Android Gingerbread|Gingerbread]]'' (that's {{as of|2018|lc=y}} down to 0.3% share). The cause is primarily because hardware manufacturers of the devices are not able to upgrade to the later operating system for a number of reasons. As a result, applications written for one version will not operate consistently on the other, and vice versa.<ref name=sdkupdate>[https://www.pcworld.com/article/2014089/google-targets-android-fragmentation-with-updated-terms-for-sdk.html Google targets Android fragmentation with updated terms for SDK]</ref>

In August 2010, developers of the [[Company:OpenSignal|OpenSignal]] wireless crowd-sourcing app detected 3,997 distinct values for "android.build.MODEL" among users of their app.<ref name=fragvisualized>{{Cite web |url=https://www.opensignal.com/reports/fragmentation.php# |title=Android Fragmentation Visualized |access-date=2018-09-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180417185101/https://opensignal.com/reports/fragmentation.php# |archive-date=2018-04-17 |url-status=dead }}</ref> This variable represents the device model, though it may be altered by adding a custom ROM. OpenSignal acknowledged that while this made it problematic to develop apps, the wide variety of models allows Android to enter more markets.

Developers have placed the blame on Google and the hardware manufacturers, while Google has blamed software developers for not staying within the guidelines of its terms and conditions.<ref name=sdkupdate /> The issue with fragmentation has forced [[Company:Google|Google]] to add a prohibition to its terms and conditions for its [[Software development kit|software development kit]], which developers must accept before developing for the Android operating system.<ref name=sdkupdate /> For example, [[Company:OpenSignal|OpenSignal]] and [[Testdroid]] studies have found out that OEMs fragment Android ecosystem significantly more than Google.

{{cquote|You agree that you will not take any actions that may cause or result in the fragmentation of Android, including but not limited to distributing, participating in the creation of, or promoting in any way a software development kit derived from the SDK.}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/aug/22/android-fragmented-developers-opensignal/ The Guardian: Android is more fragmented than ever. Should developers or users worry?]
*[https://www.dropbox.com/sh/4wfwvc7kiiv219c/AAA16CldOUdYRf5Rh5ePyZT6a/May-2014/Testdroid-Study-2014-Q1-FINAL.pdf/ A Research summary referenced in The Guardian's article about Android fragmentation (Q1'2014)]

[[Category:File system management]]

{{Sourceattribution|Market fragmentation}}