Android.  Some see it as a rival, some see it as just another mobile OS; yet, I see it as finally getting it’s act together.

I have been an Android user for a little over a year now; coming from a Windows Mobile device.  My experience has been nothing less than fantastic.  From the first instant that I picked up my Droid X, until now I have enjoyed every moment of it.  Except one thing.  Android has been plagued by fragmentation issues.

For example, my Droid X came with Android 2.2 (Froyo); however, there were phones released around the same time that might not have had the same version of Google’s mobile OS on it.  Why?  That is a question that we all can raise.  There are certain limitations on the updates that are instituted per carrier however, it is no reason for a phone to ship with an older version if a new one is out.  This creates fragmentation.

However, with the advent of Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) that should eliminate a lot of differences that are experienced across different handset makers and carriers, which will make developing for Android easier and will make it even tougher to defend against.

Let’s just hope that handset makers don’t ruin the UI this time.