Google is developing a plan to halt the fragmentation of its Android mobile platform, according to the blog Engadget, which cited unnamed sources.
According to the blog, Google plans to address the problem in two ways. First, the company will make Android's core applications and components available to consumers for download and upgrade through the Android Market application storefront. This will be phased in over the next two Android software upgrades. Second, Google plans to slow down the pace of its software development for Android in general, allowing the platform to mature.
Google's Android platform has grown tremendously since its launch in 2008. According to the research firm Canalys, Android made up nearly 10 percent of the U.S. smartphone market last year, and is poised to grow to nearly 19 percent of the market in 2010. However, there are multiple versions of Android floating around, each with different feature sets and capabilities, making it difficult for developers to build apps that reach across the entire Android spectrum.
A Google spokeswoman declined to comment.
For more:
- see this Engadget post
- see this GigaOM post
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