Fighting Android Fragmentation: Should HTC Sense become an app?

Google's Android OS has been gaining huge ground lately on almost all cell phone carriers worldwide. Companies such as Motorola, Samsung, and HTC have jumped aboard creating handsets that utilize the open operating system. Google's own Nexus One was designed and manufactured by HTC.

One thing HTC usually adds to most of their offerings (thought not on the Nexus One) is a user interface layer called "HTC Sense". This is basically "skin" of sorts that adds some functionality to HTC phones, including cool widgets and social networking add-ons. It is typically highly regarded in the Android world, though there are those who would prefer a "stock" Android installation.

I personally use the Sprint HTC Hero Android phone (pictured). It runs HTC Sense, though it's currently still running Android 1.5, and not the latest 2.1 that the newer phones are getting. This is an example of what people are calling the "fragmentation" of Android. Fragmentation basically means that there are multiple versions of the Android OS out in the wild, causing some software to only run only on certain versions. Fragmentation is bad any way you look at it. Software developers have to choose which version their apps will support, or need to work harder to support them all.

Add on top of that the modifications that some carriers add to their phones (Sprint adds their own built-in apps, for example) and the different skins that certain manufacturers add (HTC Sense and Motorola's Motoblur, for example) and you get a difficult and complex landscape to manage.

Google has announced that they plan to battle fragmentation starting with the next version of Android, code-named Froyo, by focusing the OS to include just the core fundamentals, and breaking out certain features as downloadable apps instead of being baked into the core. This is a great step forward in fighting fragmentation, and it occurred to me that it is only the first step.

Carriers and handset manufacturers need to follow by making their add-ons an a-la-carte affair. Want HTC Sense on your handset? Download the app! Want Sprint TV? Search the marketplace!

Obviously, there would need to be some logic around this for business purposes. For example, only HTC handsets can download HTC Sense in the marketplace. Or only Sprint customers would be able to download Sprint TV.

Or better yet, make HTC Sense (or Motoblur) available to everyone for a small fee. If you happen to prefer using Sense over stock Android, why not be able to install it? And HTC can make a buck in the process. The idea is for ALL Android phones to be able to run the same stock version and get updates from Google, and all the other features and add-ons would be downloadable. Kind of sounds like a regular desktop OS, doesn't it? Sure would make it easier, faster, and more convenient for all!

Thoughts?

Apple is scared of Android

Apple's dominance in the mobile marketplace is due to their industry changing iPhone products. New to the block is Google with their Android OS and multitude of manufacturing partners for their smartphones (Motorola, Acer, HTC, etc.)

Android has been growing by leaps and bounds in the past year, and this seems to have caught Apple's notice. Interestingly, rather than attack Google directly, Apple has decided to sue HTC, the top handset maker of Android phones, for infringing on 20 Apple patents. But make no mistake...this is a warning shot aimed directly at Google.

Oh, Apple. You're no longer just a cocky elitist...now you're a bully too. And one that employs children.

iSueAndroid T-Shirt by ecaggiani
Many tee designs available at zazzle

Sprint HTC Hero...all cracked up!

NOTE: DO NOT DROP YOUR HERO ON CONCRETE!

This is my wife's Hero. It slipped from her hands and fell on concrete. So sad. But luckily we got the Best Buy insurance so we can get a new replacement!

Note the scratches on the bottom. Funny thing is, the phone still works perfectly, and if you don't mind some cuts on your fingertips, you can even use the screen!

Sidenote: These pictures were taken using MY Sprint HTC Hero :-)

My Hero!

Best Buy had an early bird sale of the Sprint Hero for Reward Club members and I managed to get mine early! Been playing with it all night (it's now 3:45am!) and it rocks! It's smaller than I expected (that's a good thing) and it feels quite peppy...they absolutely fixed the lag issue everyone was talking about on the earlier European version. This thing is super smooth!

This phone was meant for me...it's on Sprint, which is the carrier I've been on for years, my 2-year contract for my old phone recently expired, allowing me to get the retention discount (basically same price as a new user contract), and it's Android, which has great potential! It's the perfect "eat shit, Apple" storm!

I've always said that the iPhone was revolutionary, but due to my irrational hatred of all things Apple, I'd never own one. Stupid, I know. But true. So I've been harboring some minor touchscreen jealousy for a while...until now :-)

With the recent announcements of all these fancy new Android phones on the horizon, I think Google is on its way up in the mobile world. Go Android!

Top 10 Reasons I'm Getting Sprint's HTC Hero

Here are my top 10 reasons for getting an HTC Hero Android Smartphone from Sprint:

1. I'm already on Sprint and have great service (great coverage in the Bay Area, and EV-DO is peppy. Also love the all-you-can-eat Everything plan)
2. Flash support
3. Oleoresistant screen (minimal fingerprints and face grease)
4. Multitasking Android OS has potential
5. HTC Sense UI improves Android significantly
6. 5 megapixel camera is better than my current Motorola Q
7. Android Market - Cool apps and more coming
8. I kinda prefer real keys, but a soft keyboard will help curb the temptation to answer texts while driving. Sad but true.
9. Wi-fi/Bluetooth/EV-DO/CDMA - Many ways to connect
10. I hate Apple and won't buy an iPhone. And I hear AT&T is...not so good.

There are actually many more reasons I want this phone, including that my current Motorola Q9c is showing its age running Windows Mobile 6.1. Ok, yes, I have touchscreen jealousy.

Check out this review and the cool pictures of this phone. Looks pretty elegant. Personally I prefer Sprint's candybar version (above) to Europe's chinny Jay Leno iteration.

Is it October 11th yet?