Android device variety causing app headaches

The rise in popularity of the Google Android mobile operating system is helping smartphone manufacturers sell devices with robust apps, but actually managing these Android apps has proven to be a slight annoyance.

After a somewhat slow start, the number of manufacturers drawn to Android has increased, while the number of Android-powered devices has ballooned to over a dozen.  However, the growing industry may not be maturing properly, which could lead to problems among developers and buggy apps for phone owners.

“Instead of working on updates to our apps, we find we are trying to make each app work for multiple versions of the OS and different hardware capabilities,” said Chris Fagan, the founder of an Android app development company, in an interview with Wired.  “We are not complaining about all the growth, but if you are a small or a new Android developer coming in and trying to learn I could see your head exploding.  It would be overwhelming.”

There have been similar complaints among developers that the Android ecosystem is becoming fragmented under increased pressure for market-share growth.  There are 3 main versions of the OS that are “current” at the moment, with some phones offering drastically varying hardware packages. Hardware power and specs for the various Android devices can be vastly different. Some Android-powered phones have physical keyboards, but others do not.

Some consolidation must take place in the industry to help developers create better apps with less headaches throughout the process.

HTC leads the way among phone manufacturers using Android, but Motorola and others also expect Android to become important for their smartphone portfolio.