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It’s been a long time since fragmentation has been a common complaint among Android fans, but for those of us who’ve been around since the platform’s early days, the term still erases our memories. is certain. Whether you’re complaining about your own daily driver experience or staring at an on-stage pie chart promoting the success of Apple’s iOS updates, “fragmentation” has been a serious problem throughout the 2010s. It was a problem.
While Android’s core feature set may no longer feel constrained by decentralization, the same can’t be said for Google’s own smartphone lineup. As the company leans more into its ever-growing hardware ecosystem, fragmentation among its devices is inevitable. Considering his brand new seven-year OS upgrade policy, knowing which Pixel does what is going to be more confusing than ever.
Project Mainline changed the way we think about Android fragmentation
Although we don’t hear about it much anymore, fragmentation was a big problem facing Android in its early days. Throughout much of the first decade, while companies like HTC and Samsung worked to build unique skins for dozens of smartphones, fans and critics alike complained that OS upgrades were slow and could last for months. was also criticized for not adding new features to existing hardware. And even when we finally got the update, we weren’t always sure that the features we were most looking forward to would survive the transition.
But in Android’s second decade, fragmentation is not the problem it once was. Part of that is due to the ever-shrinking pool of OEMs. Without companies like LG and HTC, we’ll just have to wait for a handful of brands to roll out new software builds. Mobile giants like Samsung, on the other hand, are very good at delivering their OS upgrades to their customers faster than ever before, just weeks after Google finalizes a new build. Recently, the One UI beta of the new Android version was started before the final stable build was ready, speeding up the process significantly.
And Google’s work on the underlying OS architecture shouldn’t go unnoticed. Most of the new features and additions that people are interested in are provided through Google Play Services, courtesy of Project Mainline. do not have Through one-time annual upgrades like the iPhone. As a result, Android feels like a constantly evolving platform, rather than one that undergoes a major overhaul once a year. So, for example, if you have a Motorola phone stuck on Android 13, the experience won’t be all that different from what you’d find on a Motorola device running Android 14.
Seven years of Android updates doesn’t mean you get the latest features
Android version update? Sure…but what does that really give you?
Old devices don’t get enough attention
Android OS upgrades include fewer changes for users than ever before, so it’s no surprise that OEM-only features get our attention. That said, it’s not just about adding new tools in parallel with hardware updates, it’s also important how these updates ripple through to older hardware. And even though Google is often considered “Android’s Apple,” it’s hard to argue with Samsung’s upgrade race these days. When something like Galaxy AI comes out, it won’t be long before we hear about plans for older devices.
However, this is not the case for Pixel. When the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro launched last fall, there was no word on when many of the new AI features would make their way to older devices. Some of these once-exclusive tools were unveiled as part of his Pixel Feature Drop in December, and even now, he says the Pixel 8 Pro is the only way to get a full-featured, cutting-edge Google experience. This is the method. The smaller Pixel 8 is also missing some of the same content.
In my eyes, Circle to Search really highlighted the issues, especially when it comes to comparing Google’s platform to Samsung’s. The two companies worked together to roll out this AI-powered search tool in January, and at launch it will be implemented on all three of his five phones: the Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, and Galaxy S24 devices. I did. It makes sense from a startup perspective, right?
It didn’t last long. Just a month after the S24’s launch, Samsung has confirmed that its 2023 flagship will feature Galaxy AI and Circle to Search by the end of March. Meanwhile, Google remained silent on its intentions to bring the feature to older Pixels, waiting until Feature Drop arrived in March. Still, the company couldn’t resist breaking out its latest search tool, bringing it to the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro, without specifically mentioning other Tensor G2-powered smartphones.
But Samsung was true to its word, delivering the update on schedule to the entire Galaxy S23 series, including the S23 FE, along with the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5. Not only was it a much more organized launch than the way Google announced it. It’s old hardware with modern features, but that means Samsung’s foldable device has had Circle to Search before his Pixel Fold. please think about it. Google’s hardware failed to get Google’s software first, instead playing second fiddle to its launch partners.
6 great ways to use Circle to Search on Android
Shop smarter, learn new things, eat better, and navigate the world easily with the power of Circle to Search
What good is the promise of an OS upgrade without actual functionality?
Source: Google
In addition to the March Pixel Feature Drop, Google posted the table above to make it clear to users what features are and aren’t available on Android. If this doesn’t make your problem clear, I don’t know what is. Obviously, the Pixel 8’s chip is more advanced than its predecessors, but there’s no reason for Google to throttle back so many features compared to its competitors.Even if it’s due to hardware limitations Several Barring these exclusions, there’s no question that companies like Samsung are doing a better job.
To be fair, Google brought Circle to Search to the Pixel Fold earlier this month, and now it’s finally available on smartphones like the Pixel 7a. But you see the problem here, right? Pixel fans are already waiting weeks or even months for new features unless they’re willing to upgrade their hardware every year. The situation is becoming clearer as new models emerge. What good is a 7 year OS policy and a custom chipset if you can’t deploy something as simple as Circle to Search on modern hardware all at once?
In some ways, Google is caught in the middle. You need to migrate new Pixel hardware while simultaneously satisfying users with older devices. They need to innovate enough to provide new features to early adopters while satisfying customers who want to keep their phones for six months or more. And obviously, not all new features will work on traditional devices, especially as Google continues to push its dream of mastering mobile AI.
But the Pixel brand isn’t big enough to sustain the ecosystem fragmentation we’re already experiencing. Graphs like the one shared last month can’t be the future of Google’s smartphone lineup. The company needs to get better at bringing cutting-edge features to older hardware. At the very least, it needs to catch up with Samsung. If not, what’s the point of sticking with Google’s ecosystem?
google pixel 8 pro
The Google Pixel 8 Pro is the company’s latest flagship, featuring a new Tensor G3 chip, a brighter screen, and a new camera array that can capture even more light. As always, the real power lies in Google’s Tensor chip, which offers even more photo enhancement and image editing features.
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