Android's Elephant in the Room

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A new survey released this week shows that a significant number of Android developers are unhappy campers. Here's why...

The survey, put out by wireless analyst William Power from Baird, keys in on a number of issues driving Android app developers nuts. The big one: device fragmentation. 56% of Android developers surveyed report its either a huge or meaningful problem. Only 14% said it wasn't a problem at all.

The other problem was store fragmentation. In both of these areas, Apple's iOS for the iPhone and iPad clearly have a huge advantage since Apple controls both the hardware and software and all apps are sold through one store - iTunes.

iOS is also scoring higher marks over Android for ease of development, getting paid and overall visibility for the app.

Blackberry scored second place in satisfaction among developers, by the way, in the categories of getting paid and visibility for their product. Android developers voiced particular concern over the high numbers of "junk" apps cluttering up the Android app market.

Android has been a juggernaut over the past year gobbling up market share in the smartphone space. Google's Sherwin-Williams approach allowing Android devices to be released on a wide array of name brand handsets and through all the major carriers in this regard, has paid off handsomely.

However when you look at it from the developer's view point, will the price for overnight success come with too many pain points in the long run?

Hide in the weeds and watch as my Texas friend, ZC, would say.

Renee Oricchio is a technology writer and former supervising news producer for CNN Financial News. She has been covering the computer industry since 1987. @oricchio