Android fragmentation issues have surfaced once again, with sports watch maker Magellan suggesting wearables support for Android is being limited by the platform’s inconsistent Bluetooth standards.
With a number of third-party wearable devices, such as the Magellan Echo, now making use of Bluetooth Low Energy standards, the manufacturer has claimed that Android’s fragmented nature means it is harder to ensure device support for the leading mobile OS.
“The biggest comment we’ve had in terms of negativity on the product has been around Android support which we are working on right now,” Clark Weber, Magellan’s Senior Director of Wearable Technology said of the Echo sports watch.
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Speaking exclusively with TrustedReviews he added: “First it requires Android 4.3 or higher, which is still only about 10 per cent of handsets, and then Android gets a little bit more complicated because the Bluetooth implementation varies by handset.
“From a testing perspective Android has been a lot tougher.”
Despite the restrictions and annoyances, Weber has insisted that “Android support is a number one priority,” for Magellan, although he believes this fragmentation is detrimental to manufacturers and consumers alike.
Android wearables support will not be overarching either. The Magellan director has suggested only flagship phones will be priorities by peripheral manufacturers.
“It will be limited to the flagship phones at first,” he said. “
While Android support is a priority for Magellan and other wearables manufacturers, the company has suggested Windows Phone compatibility is not a key focus.
“No consumers have asked for it,” Weber told us. “Windows Phone is something that we are looking in to but it isn’t our top priority.”
He added: “Getting Android on board with its numbers is obviously more important but I think Windows Phone is going to be something that we will keep track of.”
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
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We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.