TomSoft

The benefits of Fragmentation….

March 2nd, 2006

Update2: To be clear, this post is not talking of Java only, but of all mobile technology! So I will clarify this in a later release…. (end of update2…)

Ok, the title is a little bit controversial, but “Fragmentation” is usually considered as the worst thing that could happen in this industry. Even if it’s a real pain, let’s be more positive. I see it as a result of what is one of the most interesting things of mobile: innovation… Mobile is an incredibly innovative environment: in applications, services, software, hardware….
Innovation, by definition, creates fragmentation: this create new opportunities, or different ways to do things, sometime better, sometime worst. Then, with time, on a specific topic, things stabilize, winner emerges, and fragmentation reduces. In the meantime, other technologies are coming in other areas. There is a continuous shift, where older innovations become standard, while newer creates fragmentation. The fact the life cycle of a mobile is “relatively” short, help a lot…We don’t deal with ten years old phones, but only with four years old phones….
This does not mean that we should put effort to reduce fragmentation, but we should find a way to balance in finding ways to reduce it, while still keeping room for new ideas…

Update: C.Enrique pointed out a point that I forgot to mention. Of course, there are drawbacks, especially if fragmentation is used by big companies as a tools to break standardisation, and not a tool to promote innovation. And he gives Nokia SOA as an example of this wrong approach….

So, I have a few clarifications:

• fragmentation happens in all areas (and no, I am NOT talking of Java fragmentation): Brew, Java, FlashLite,SVG, Wap/XHMLT, Ajax, etc…are fragmenting technologies. Some are complementaries, some are competing…
• fragmentation happens also for hardware: bluetooth, WiFi, NFC/Rfid are all fragmenting technologies in a sense, but great innovations
• Other example of fragmented areas: business models, payment methods….
• As discussed earlier, the bad side of fragmentation, is to use it to create walled garden with competing with standard technologies. Of course, this is obviously not a benefit of fragmentation.

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Entry Filed under: Wireless