Or maybe it is fragmentation no matter how much you don't want it to be?
At the end of the day, fragmentation is just a word. How the consumer feels about the product is what matters, right? What about the removal of other features? I can argue that if you buy the device Google intends you to buy (those which run stock Android), there is no fragmentation in Android, you will continue to receive timely updates, and Apps will "just work" as well.
My point? The fragmentation argument is so, so, SOOOOOOO overplayed by the Apple/iOS crowd it's not even funny. People love to use the fact that because Android gives you so many hardware and software choices, it is fragmented. To an extent, that's true. If you want to toss away that choice and get Google's flagship device which launches once a year (same as Apple) you are going to get a comparable experience in terms of the dreaded "fragmentation" and updates that Android is so often criticized for.
Fragmentation is real, and it's a problem. It just so happens that it doesn't fit your narrative so you prefer to classify it as "overplayed", which is akin to burying one's head in the sand.
Or how about a visual aid for what development has to contend with...no wonder android apps tend to be inferior to iOS...There is no target. It's more like whack a mole.