• Google Takes a Step Toward Fighting Android Fragmentation: All future phone and tablet makers MUST s
    10 replies, posted
This will not affect the Kindle Fire since it does not utilize the Android Market. [table="width: 1200"] [tr] sd[td][QUOTE]A small change regarding the look and feel of Ice Cream Sandwich apps could help Google fight Android fragmentation. The Holo themeStarting with Android 4.0, support for the "Holo" theme will be mandatory for phones and tablets that have the Android Market installed. Holo is the stock Android theme, known for its sharp angles, thin lines and blue hue. Third-party developers can now create apps and widgets using the default Android aesthetic, knowing that's how it'll look on every major Ice Cream Sandwich device that has the Android Market. To be clear, this doesn't mean the death of phone makers' user interface customizations, such as HTC's Sense or Samsung's TouchWiz. Far from it: Google is also making it easier for developers to accommodate these custom interfaces, with a bit of code that adopts whatever theme the device is using by default. Essentially, app developers will be able to choose whether their apps will look more like stock Android 4.0, or like the phone maker's customized interface. It is this choice that could improve the woeful software update situation for Android phones and tablets. If more developers skin their apps to look like stock Android instead of some custom user interface -- and why wouldn't they? -- phone makers won't have to worry as much about how third-party apps will look when their devices are updated. The result, hopefully, will be speedier delivery of future Android updates. Still, a blog post by Google's Tim Bray announcing the changes illustrates the trouble Google faces in fighting fragmentation. As in this case, Google can use Android Market access as a bargaining chip with device makers and wireless carriers, but Google also has to keep these parties happy by letting them futz with the stock Android experience. As we've seen with Android phones that use Bing instead of Google search, phone makers and wireless carriers have bargaining chips of their own. But even specific baby steps are better than the vague promises Google has previously made to reduce fragmentation. Hopefully the next Android update will come a little faster to Ice Cream Sandwich phones and tablets thanks to mandatory Holo support.[/QUOTE][/td] [td][IMG]http://zapp5.staticworld.net/images/article/2012/01/holotheme-7986149.png[/IMG][/td] [/tr] [tr] [td][/td] [td][/td] [/tr] [/table] [url]http://www.pcworld.com/article/247256/google_takes_a_step_toward_fighting_android_fragmentation.html[/url]
explosive news in the world of consumer electronics today
Where's the source?
[QUOTE=Banhfunbags;34059550]Where's the source?[/QUOTE] Added
ooh, awesome having to account for theme differences is stupid i wish they would do something about manufacturers not updating their phones tons of phones are still running 2.x and their only way of updating is to buy a new phone or risk using a third party ROM, its borderline abusive the way the manufacturers handle their updates, at least in my experience.
[QUOTE=Kopimi;34059621]ooh, awesome having to account for theme differences is stupid i wish they would do something about manufacturers not updating their phones tons of phones are still running 2.x and their only way of updating is to buy a new phone or risk using a third party ROM, its borderline abusive the way the manufacturers handle their updates, at least in my experience.[/QUOTE] It really is. I love my Samsung Infuse, but it barely gets any support from Samsung. I don't think gingerbread has even been officially released for it yet, although there have been quite a few official leaks. It's weird since the Galaxy S (which was released before the Infuse) gets way more support. I don't understand it. I won't be surprised if ICS never gets officially released for my phone, even though it's more than capable.
This article doesn't fit on my laptop very well.. But on topic, this is a good thing, Android needs a few standards. [QUOTE=I_Forgot;34059688] It's weird since the Galaxy S (which was released before the Infuse) gets way more support. I don't understand it. [/QUOTE] Isnt the galaxy S a more popular phone? More popular = more support
[QUOTE=I_Forgot;34059688]It really is. I love my Samsung Infuse, but it barely gets any support from Samsung. I don't think gingerbread has even been officially released for it yet, although there have been quite a few official leaks. It's weird since the Galaxy S (which was released before the Infuse) gets way more support. I don't understand it. I won't be surprised if ICS never gets officially released for my phone, even though it's more than capable.[/QUOTE] i have a samsung captivate which is part of the galaxy s line and we don't even have an official gingerbread update as far as i'm aware i'm on ICS using a third party ROM and it's fantastic, the fact that samsung is incapable of providing paying customers with updates that hackers and modders are capable of providing for free is just ridiculous
Awesome, maybe the approximate .6% of people with Android 4.0 will enjoy this. [url]http://developer.android.com/resources/dashboard/platform-versions.html[/url]
I love the name Ice Cream Sandwich.
And its pretty darn good looking
Sorry, you need to Log In to post a reply to this thread.