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I've had more fragmentation problems with iOS/iPhone than with Android

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Re: I've had more fragmentation problems with iOS/iPhone than with Android

#31
post #25

So it's not fragmentation, Apple just doesn't let you test in previous versions. This was an easy fix for all you needed was only one phone. Unlike Android who has over 100 different versions of Android, yes you have the emulator for each base version but you can't guarantee for every phone.

You can download the old versions at http://connect.apple.com

Re: I've had more fragmentation problems with iOS/iPhone than with Android

#32
post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

you can download old versions of iOS and downgrade your ipod.

It has been a few months since I tried to downgrade but I certainly did try and killed too much time in the process. Could you point me in the direction of some instructions?

It's fairly easy, just save your old SHSH blobs (I always jailbreak my device so I'm not sure if jailbreak is required, there's a tool called TinyUmbrella to do it), then you can downgrade to whatever version you want.

Re: I've had more fragmentation problems with iOS/iPhone than with Android

#33
post #14

Instead of testing on 5+ devices for Android, you just have to buy an old iPod touch with 3.1.3 on it. Is it too costly for you?

You don't have to test on 5+ actual Android devices - emulator supports creating specific devices with different hardware and software versions. Plus you can alway push your beta in the market and let lots of users with actual devices do the real testing for you.

Sometimes you need to test on real devices for real performance and experience.

I only have to test my app on my iPhone 4 and 2nd gen iPod touch.

Same thing applies to beta testing on iOS, but since Apple don't allow beta app, developers have to issue adhoc build.

Re: I've had more fragmentation problems with iOS/iPhone than with Android

#34
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I had an iPod Touch with 3.1.3 on it but by then I'd upgraded to to 4.x with no way to downgrade it. Sure I could have bought another sooner but this is not something I was expecting as up till that point I could always test in the simulator for any version.

you can download old versions of iOS and downgrade your ipod.

You can, but it is a hassle, and Apple certainly could have made it easier.

Re: I've had more fragmentation problems with iOS/iPhone than with Android

#35
For some of the apps I've written (status: trying to get the frame-rate up) the constantly changing screensizes of the devices is a frickin' nightmare.

I'm currently really only supporting iPad because of that... but of course Apple will change the screen size on iPad 2.0 when that comes out. Aargh.

Went and bought an iPod-touch so I can test the 960x640 res if I ever get enthusiastic enough about it....

...then it turns out that Apple's implementation of multi-tasking is going to be a nightmare of a whole new dimension... lovely.

Re: I've had more fragmentation problems with iOS/iPhone than with Android

#36
post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You don't have to test on 5+ actual Android devices - emulator supports creating specific devices with different hardware and software versions. Plus you can alway push your beta in the market and let lots of users with actual devices do the real testing for you.

Sometimes you need to test on real devices for real performance and experience. I only have to test my app on my iPhone 4 and 2nd gen iPod touch. Same thing applies to beta testing on iOS, but since Apple don't allow beta app, developers have to issue adhoc build.

Don't you have to test on an iPad? For that matter - testing on couple real Android devices is equally effective - Galaxy Tab and Optimus S or G1/ADP and Nexus One.

My point was that you don't need to test on ALL different Android devices - just a few which seems to be similar with iOS from what you said. If you want to test lots of real devices - it's actually easy with Android - push the beta in the Market and let users do the compatibility testing.

Re: I've had more fragmentation problems with iOS/iPhone than with Android

#37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, the problem here isn't supporting _devices_ but OSes. If you flag your app as v4 (correctly) anyone who wants to use it can upgrade to v4 and use it. No fragmentation. Under Android it's a dog's breakfast just on that point, forget screen resolutions etc.

Have you developed for Android and released a useful app? What are you basing your dog breakfast story on? That doesn't ring true at all for anyone who has developed for Android.

What about what Rovio, the developers of Angry Birds faced? http://www.rovio.com/index.php?mact=Blogs,cntnt01,showentry,...

Re: I've had more fragmentation problems with iOS/iPhone than with Android

#38
post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you developed for Android and released a useful app? What are you basing your dog breakfast story on? That doesn't ring true at all for anyone who has developed for Android.

What about what Rovio, the developers of Angry Birds faced? http://www.rovio.com/index.php?mact=Blogs,cntnt01,showentry,...

Well, they also claim "Fragmentation on the device side is not a huge problem"[1]. They do say ecosystem fragmentation is a problem. The problem addressed in your link is more underpowered devices than fragmentation. Sure, Android's ability to be slapped on any hardware leads the problems of underpowered devices, but it isn't really fragmentation.

[1]:http://technmarketing.com/iphone/peter-vesterbacka-maker-of-...

Re: I've had more fragmentation problems with iOS/iPhone than with Android

#39
post #14

Instead of testing on 5+ devices for Android, you just have to buy an old iPod touch with 3.1.3 on it. Is it too costly for you?

You're right. It would be so much easier if Netscape had just stayed dead, and IE was the only web browser that I had to develop for.

Also:

* It would be so much easier choosing an ISP if AOL was the only ISP in America.

* It would be so much easier being a mechanic if the only automobiles were Fords, and they only made 2 models.

* It would be so much easier developing video games if people weren't allow to configure their own systems. Then I wouldn't have to worry about all sorts of machines with various levels of beefiness in the hardware department.

Whining about Android fragmentation while praising lack of choice with Apple as 'simplicity' just seems childish.

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