I’ve also noticed over the last 8 months the outcry from some people especially the techies and tech news sites the complaints about the fragmentation of android. By fragmentation I am referring to android phones running different versions of the android os. Now as a power user I understand the frustration when the Google Branded Nexus One gets Android 2.2 before everyone else but I also realize that is to be expected as it was the first phone marketed and sold exclusively by Google. It was basically the Google Reference phone, so of course its going to get Froyo before the rest of us that being said the debacle with the 2.1 upgrade from verizon for the droid has left a bad taste in some people’s mouth. But honestly ask yourself does the average consumer even care that 2.2 hasn’t been released on their droid or evo 4g. I dont think they give a rats ass, as long as they can make their calls, receive texts and do whatever else they do on their phone they could care less about an os upgrade that adds a few more features that they might never use.

As a power user I push my phone to the limit so yes I’m slighted by the fact that Nexus One gets Android 2.2 before the rest of us, but motorola has already announced that the Droid and Droid-X will both be getting Android 2.2 before the summer is over. Let us hope that Verizon doesnt muck up the release again, not that it matters to me since I’m already on 2.2 thanks to the awesome rom community that surrounds the Android community.

I guess the question is, is the Fragmentation in Android phones really that big of a problem? In my opinion its not because the average consumer doesnt care and honestly us geeks are just the very vocal minority. We have to remember that the carriers like stability over the hot newness. Plus Google has already stated that with 3.0 Android will be moving toward a more modular makeup basically making updates as easy as going to the app store.

I’ve been using it for about a week now and I can say it makes my droid a little snappier. Now Froyo added a few things to the table:

• Tethering via USB or Wifi
• Flash 10.1
• APPS2SD
• Improved performance
• Better exchange integration
• Chrome to Phone
• Voice dialing over bluetooth

I havent used all the features yet that Froyo promises so I sill speak on the ones I have tried out. Flash 10.1 is currently in beta for Froyo and I’ve done a little testing of course little bit after froyo hit the web for all us droid users, hulu found a way to cut off the access to their widget. Currently Flash 10.1 is at beta 2 and I’ve gone a a few sites it has a few slowness issues but overall it works pretty well.

As for APPS2SD the main issue with that is the developers need to activate that function in their program now granted this was already active in certain roms but Froyo brings it to all of the android community.

I can say that overall the performance has been greatly improved on froyo.  System is very responsive and the native install gives you 5 screens instead of the current 3 in stock 2.1 release for Droid. Whether or not this will be the case on the final approved release remains to be seen but one can only hope. Still no release date on when Froyo will be available for Droid, a few lucky testers on the nexus one were able to get a hold of it for their handset but Google quickly pulled it down.

Sources:
Manifest Tech
Froyo on the Droid

In Google Android news there is a rumor going around over the weekend that was posted on gizmodo that Google may be trying to release Android 2.1 to all existing Android based phones. How this is going to work with the various carriers and manufacturers is anyone guess. Unsplintering Android would lead down a much easier road for developers but will 2.1 run on the older models of hardware is something we will just have to wait to see.

Linkage