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Google is trying to fix the biggest problem with Android

Google is negotiating deals with chipmakers to help solve fragmentation, one of the biggest problems with Android, The Information reports. By working directly with chip partners, Google is looking to create hardware that will work seamlessly with Android, just as Apple products do with iOS.

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The fragmentation of Android is a real issue for Google, phone makers, and users, who sometimes have to deal with outdated hardware, poor security, and a substandard experience. According to one estimate, there are more than 18,700 distinct versions of Android compared with just five or six for Apple.

Sundar Pichai
Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google. Reuters/Elijah Nouvelage

Google is seeking a more Apple-like approach, combining core functionality of the phone onto one chip. In the negotiations, Google asked chipmakers for a more sophisticated camera unit, improved on-board memory, and more power efficiency.

There could be a snag. The profit margins of Android handset makers, such as Samsung and HTC, are already tightly squeezed, and so the companies are more than willing to go with what works rather than what excels.

If Google manages to solve this conundrum, however, it could lead to an overall better Android experience for users that will place high-end Samsung, HTC, and Huawei devices in line with the iPhone.

On February 28, Axel Springer, Business Insider's parent company, joined 31 other media groups and filed a $2.3 billion suit against Google in Dutch court, alleging losses suffered due to the company's advertising practices.

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