Mobile fragmentation isn’t a new topic, but a new report from Flurry demonstrates how pervasive the problem has become within the mobile development industry. According to the firm, developers who want their apps to work on 90 percent of all active devices will need to support 331 different smartphones and tablets. For 80 percent coverage, you must support 156 different devices, and 50 percent requires support for 18 models.
The fragmentation is much worse on Android than on iOS, which is part of the reason why so many mobile development firms still target Apple’s platform. “Developers can reach more active devices by developing for a smaller number of device models on iOS and they can also capture the attention of very active users,” advised Flurry’s Mary Ellen Gordon. “People who have iOS devices tend to have more app sessions, creating more opportunities for in-app purchases, advertising revenue, and paid app purchases.”
