7 ms·

Funny how you always hear about Android fragmentation (hard to avoid with so many vendors), but iOS is not exactly much better in the end for a company that con

Funny how you always hear about Android fragmentation (hard to avoid with so many vendors), but iOS is not exactly much better in the end for a company that controls everything from the hardware to the OS.

samcheng 9y ago
Looking at the numbers, iOS is significantly better in reducing version fragmentation. Like you said, it's much easier to do this when you don't have dozens of OEMs in the way.
- xbmcuser 9y ago
  Till iOS 11 you needed to update OS to update system apps it was not so in Android so despite all the talks of fragmentation most people are still able to update a lot of the stuff in Android without and actual an OS update.
  - gabrielcsapo 9y ago
    Isn't the value add the user gets from updating their OS the benefit of security updates and features?
  - daenney 9y ago
    You're conveniently forgetting all kinds of hardware driver issues and bugs and fixes in newer kernels that Android users will never get. Even if AOSP and Google update, the vast majority of devices don't run AOSP nor are Nexus/Pixel devices. And not all (security) issues can be fixed without an OS update either. Not having to update your OS is not necessarily a virtue. Considering Apple provides updates for a good 5 years, I'd hardly consider it a problem to have to update every now and then.
    - dep_b 9y ago
      > ou're conveniently forgetting all kinds of hardware driver issues and bugs and fixes in newer kernels that Android users will never get. This. THIS. I cannot believe the amount of people that completely and willingly needs to ignore the fact that the kernel will not receive CRITICAL updates. It's a pretty dirty game Google is playing by giving "security updates" all of the time while devices often can easily be rooted.
    - hesarenu 9y ago
      I hear this security issue all the time. But what kind of issues do the actual end users face because of it? Is it something not noticeable to the end-user? I have many relatives using old versions of android even i gave a 2.3version android to a cousin. But have not heard any security related issues. Comparing it against windows, virus related problems were many. I have known people in India who normally don't buy software buy anti-virus software.
      - MBCook 9y ago
        How about the recent Bluetooth vulnerability BlueBorne that allows remote takeover of devices without any user interaction? That’s a kernel level issue. A Play Store package update won’t fix it.
        hesarenu 9y ago
        One of the relatives did get a message from Playstore to disable the bluetooth service.
        MBCook 9y ago
        So they can be vulnerable or slightly cripple their device until the patch (which I’d be willing to bet a huge number of devices never get) comes. That’s not exactly a great spot for a user to be in.
        hesarenu 9y ago
        From the people i know nobody keeps their bluettoh devises on for extended period of times. Its used usually to transfer images/videos. But it will be a hassle though. What else are there which would affect users very hard?
        MBCook 9y ago
        It doesn’t matter if your connected to a device, simply having the radio on is all you need to be compromised. It’s a very serious vulnerability.
mrmondo 9y ago
I’m sorry I don’t see any comparison at all, iOS is a /lot/ less fragmented and iOS devices present on networks have a far high percentage of up to date OS versions installed. Just two months ago I sampled data of a 100~ staff user wireless network and a heavily used guest network, while more than 95% of iOS devices were running the latest version of iOS 10 (the 5% was all bar one a selection of test devices kept back for legacy mobile web browser testing) where less than 25% of android devices on either network were running either the current or latest stable legacy android versions over the same 30 day period.
simonh 9y ago
How is 83% of devices, and a staggering 92% of phones on the very latest OS version 'not exactly much better'?

samcheng 9y ago

Looking at the numbers, iOS is significantly better in reducing version fragmentation. Like you said, it's much easier to do this when you don't have dozens of OEMs in the way.

xbmcuser 9y ago
Till iOS 11 you needed to update OS to update system apps it was not so in Android so despite all the talks of fragmentation most people are still able to update a lot of the stuff in Android without and actual an OS update.
- gabrielcsapo 9y ago
  Isn't the value add the user gets from updating their OS the benefit of security updates and features?
- daenney 9y ago
  You're conveniently forgetting all kinds of hardware driver issues and bugs and fixes in newer kernels that Android users will never get. Even if AOSP and Google update, the vast majority of devices don't run AOSP nor are Nexus/Pixel devices. And not all (security) issues can be fixed without an OS update either. Not having to update your OS is not necessarily a virtue. Considering Apple provides updates for a good 5 years, I'd hardly consider it a problem to have to update every now and then.
  - dep_b 9y ago
    > ou're conveniently forgetting all kinds of hardware driver issues and bugs and fixes in newer kernels that Android users will never get. This. THIS. I cannot believe the amount of people that completely and willingly needs to ignore the fact that the kernel will not receive CRITICAL updates. It's a pretty dirty game Google is playing by giving "security updates" all of the time while devices often can easily be rooted.
  - hesarenu 9y ago
    I hear this security issue all the time. But what kind of issues do the actual end users face because of it? Is it something not noticeable to the end-user? I have many relatives using old versions of android even i gave a 2.3version android to a cousin. But have not heard any security related issues. Comparing it against windows, virus related problems were many. I have known people in India who normally don't buy software buy anti-virus software.
    - MBCook 9y ago
      How about the recent Bluetooth vulnerability BlueBorne that allows remote takeover of devices without any user interaction? That’s a kernel level issue. A Play Store package update won’t fix it.
      - hesarenu 9y ago
        One of the relatives did get a message from Playstore to disable the bluetooth service.
        MBCook 9y ago
        So they can be vulnerable or slightly cripple their device until the patch (which I’d be willing to bet a huge number of devices never get) comes. That’s not exactly a great spot for a user to be in.
        hesarenu 9y ago
        From the people i know nobody keeps their bluettoh devises on for extended period of times. Its used usually to transfer images/videos. But it will be a hassle though. What else are there which would affect users very hard?
        MBCook 9y ago
        It doesn’t matter if your connected to a device, simply having the radio on is all you need to be compromised. It’s a very serious vulnerability.

mrmondo 9y ago

I’m sorry I don’t see any comparison at all, iOS is a /lot/ less fragmented and iOS devices present on networks have a far high percentage of up to date OS versions installed. Just two months ago I sampled data of a 100~ staff user wireless network and a heavily used guest network, while more than 95% of iOS devices were running the latest version of iOS 10 (the 5% was all bar one a selection of test devices kept back for legacy mobile web browser testing) where less than 25% of android devices on either network were running either the current or latest stable legacy android versions over the same 30 day period.

simonh 9y ago

How is 83% of devices, and a staggering 92% of phones on the very latest OS version 'not exactly much better'?