"I am the 99%", the overlooked Android fragmentation story

When most people talk about OS fragmentation on Android devices, they usually are talking about vendors who are slow to push out updates to their older devices. More rarely I've heard mentioned the less-than-technical end-users who never bother to install available updates. I've personally been affected by both: Sprint is less than stellar at making their Sense UI updates to Google releases to my last two cellphones, and I am constantly reminding my friends and family of the advantages to getting updates to their phones that are available. For the latter, I've ended up being the guy actually installing the updates for them.

But I think there is an untold story here about a growing percentage of Android enthusiasts who are literally being forced to stay behind the curve. Insert "Help, help, I'm being repressed!" quote here.

I am a techie. I am an Android geek. I am an avid CyanogenMod follower, and simply must install the latest patch, update and sometimes even follow nightly builds when they are available (and arguably stable).

I am still running Gingerbread because Sprint (and now officially CyanogenMod) do not plan to release an ICS or Jellybean update for my device. 

I would spend my hard-earned cash and a lunch break to go buy a new Android smartphone today, but I am still months away from the end of my 2-year contract with Sprint. 

I realize there are some GSM providers that contact you to a SIM card instead of a single device, and that's great for them. But Sprint is largely a CDMA provider, so that isn't an option for me and anyone else who can't simply swap a SIM into a new phone and go. Sprint is literally making it impossible for large populations of their customers to benefit from the latest that Android has to offer by refusing to provide device updates, and making it cost-prohibitive to purchase new phones before the 2-year contractual waiting period is over.

I am one of the 99% not running the latest Android OS because I am contractually obligated to stay there until the end of 2012. Doesn't that seem like a bad business model for Sprint?