14 DAY TRIAL // Android might be the most popular mobile platform, but it’s plagued by major issues. One in particular is fragmentation.
For starters, there are multiple device manufacturers using Android on their handsets and tablets (Samsung, Sony, HTC, you name it) and most of them are tweaking the original interface offered by Google, slipping in some of their own products, services and overall take on what Android should mean.
Android 5.0 Lollipop is still a mess in terms of adoption
On top of that, there’s the issue of different versions of Android. While Android 5.0 Lollipop was rolled out five months ago, the build hasn't made it out onto that many devices.
Earlier this month, Google made public the Android distribution numbers for March. Apparently, Android 5.0 Lollipop holds dominion of only 3.3% of the market. The previous version, KitKat seems to be gathering the bulk with 40.9% of the Android devices still using it.
Next in line is Android 4.2.x Jelly Bean with 19.4% and Jelly Bean 4.1.x with 17.3%.
Couple these aspects with Google’s policy of not fixing any vulnerabilities in Android versions before Jellybean 4.3.1 and it becomes pretty clear why some enterprises might be looking to pull away from Android.
Instead of Android, enterprises will turn to the competition
According to a report coming out of ITWire, companies are losing confidence in the OS and are looking to turn to alternatives like iOS and Windows Phone.
The source is even mentioning an unnamed but major corporate firm which has taken things as far as to completely ban Android devices from the network.
The reason given for the decision was the impossibility to cope with the plethora of Android devices and apps on the networks.
Most consumers utilizing Android devices must run an antivirus/malware product to keep things secure. Apps like AVG, Avast and Norton are often downloaded for this very purpose.
If these users move into an enterprise environment and connect to an email client, the chance of infecting the corporate network is pretty low. However, things aren't that safe anymore and users move on to use remote access programs to dab into server data or use terminal emulation.
So for the time being, until Google puts its foot down and threatens manufacturers to update or else stay away from the Android camp altogether, it seems iOS and Windows Phone are deemed the finest alternatives for a secure enterprise environment.