Mobile Wars: Platform Fragmentation

Platform fragmentation has long been an issue that Microsoft has struggled with. So many hardware partners, combined with a large number of network carrier partnership has made it difficult for Microsoft to provide patches and updates for Windows Mobile.

Typically, Microsoft would release a patch or build of Windows Mobile to the hardware manufacturer.  Windows Mobile is never sold directly to the consumer. The hardware manufacturer always makes some tweaks for drivers or customizations for their devices and then makes it available to the networks.  Then, after some testing, it’s finally offered to the consumer. However, if either the carrier or the hardware manufacturer decides that the update is not significant enough, then the update doesn’t continue and the consumer loses out.

The end result of all this, is that some devices are upgraded to the latest version, while others are left behind. There’s no way for a customer that is experiencing a specific bug, to get that update if their carrier or the hardware manufacturer has decided that it’s just not significant enough to warrant releasing an update.

Google is heading down the same path. They don’t provide the OS directly to the consumer. With more and more manufacturers releasing Android devices, we are starting to see devices that get left behind and are not getting that update passed along to them.

I’ve been using the Telus version of the HTC Hero for a little while now. This device is running Android 1.5. Since the device was released, there has been 3 version of Android released – 1.6, 2.0, and now 2.1. The HTC Hero on Sprint has seen an upgrade, but not the Telus device. With a brand new device, it’s already old and outdated and can’t run some of the latest Google apps.

Both platforms are heading down the wrong path here and it’s only going to cause pain and confusion for customers. Certainly, there are difficulties with providing updates to the customer. Updates need to flow quickly from the top all the way down to the consumer without breaking hardware customizations, or network tweaks that have been done.

I have to give both platforms a fail in this category. I expect more from these guys, and the consumer deserves a better experience without feeling like they need to buy a new device every 6-10 months.