| With the number of people using mobile devices | | | | Fragmentation in the mobile devices market is a |
| increasing exponentially each year, several companies | | | | relatively new phenomenon. In the early 2000s there |
| are entering into the mobile application development | | | | were very few mainstream mobile device operating |
| market. This has led to the proliferation of mobile | | | | systems, Palm, Windows Mobile and Blackberry. Less |
| operating systems. In many other industries, this | | | | than a decade later there are over three times those |
| increased level of competition would benefit | | | | numbers with new platforms emerging such as |
| consumers. In the mobile application development | | | | Android, iPhone and more variations of Palm, Symbian |
| industry however, it has lead to industry | | | | and Windows platforms. With no system completely |
| fragmentation. | | | | dominant in one area, it is increasingly difficult for |
| Fragmentation is a phenomenon commonly | | | | developers to reach their target markets. Each mobile |
| experienced in information technology and computing | | | | platform also tends to have its own digital distribution |
| related industries. Fragmentation occurs when there | | | | channel. Distribution across different channels also |
| are several standards or platforms in the industry. | | | | adds to the costs incurred by developers as they |
| This prevents developers from accessing the full | | | | have to comply with the rules of each distribution |
| scope of the market and forces them to focus only | | | | channel and pay a percentage of their revenue to |
| on the most popular platforms. Only developers with | | | | each store. |
| an unusual wealth of resources are able to cater to | | | | Fragmentation stems from having so many mobile |
| the full market. Even large companies have attested | | | | operating systems and therefore is can only be |
| to the detrimental effects of fragmentation in the | | | | tackled by the owners platforms cooperating to find |
| mobile applications market. In February 2010, the BBC | | | | a solution. The best example of this to date is an |
| announced plans to launch a mobile news application. | | | | industry alliance, the Wholesale Applications |
| During this announcement, they criticised | | | | Community. This alliance consists of 24 mobile |
| fragmentation within the mobile applications market | | | | companies including Samsung, LG, Sony Ericsson and |
| saying it prevented them from reaching all consumers | | | | Orange. The aim of this alliance is to create a mobile |
| equally and that until a solution is found profitability in | | | | distribution channel that distributes applications to all |
| the mobile application industry will suffer. | | | | devices irrespective of the mobile platform. They aim |
| Fragmentation prevents smaller developers from | | | | to create this common standard for mobile |
| entering the market for a number of reasons. Firstly, | | | | applications within the next 12 months. |
| it increases costs. In a fragmented market, | | | | A common standard for mobile applications is the |
| prospective developers will be forced to comply with | | | | best way to tackle fragmentation in the long term. |
| a myriad of different standards and procedures in | | | | However, some developers have started to develop |
| order to take their application to market. This raises | | | | mobile web applications instead of native mobile |
| the cost and time involved in developing an | | | | applications. Although web applications do not have |
| application and acts as a barrier to smaller or newer | | | | the functionality of native applications, any device |
| developers. In turn, this is detrimental to consumers | | | | with a recent internet browser can access them. |
| as it reduces choice in the market. Developers must | | | | Mobile Web application development has become |
| also incur considerable cost to learn how to develop | | | | more viable in recent years as mobile browsers have |
| for a particular platform. In a fragmented market, it is | | | | improved and have support for scripting languages |
| often difficult to predict which platforms will become | | | | such as JavaScript. |
| dominant and have a larger install base. If developers | | | | However, web application development is not ideal |
| choose a platform that is phased out later or | | | | for many developers, especially those developing |
| becomes a niche platform, they will have wasted | | | | complex applications. With the formation of the |
| valuable time and money. | | | | Wholesale Applications Community and the |
| Fragmentation in the market also prevents | | | | cooperation of many of the major firms in the mobile |
| developers of highly technical or targeted applications | | | | development market, it seems that a concerted |
| from entering the market and making a profit. Highly | | | | effort is being made to deal with fragmentation in |
| technical applications are difficult to port across | | | | the industry. As long as the interests of all the firms |
| platforms and or often targeted at a specific niche | | | | in the Wholesale Applications Community continue to |
| audience. If the audience is split across a number of | | | | converge, it is likely that the negative impact of |
| devices, it is unlikely that such applications will be | | | | fragmentation on developers and consumers will be |
| profitable at market. | | | | greatly lessened. |