Google have published the latest details showing which versions of Android people are running out there. Whilst it shows some good news it also contains some quite worrying info as well.
|
Version |
Codename |
API |
Distribution |
| 1.6 | Donut | 4 | 0.2% |
| 2.1 | Eclair | 7 | 2.2% |
| 2.2 | Froyo | 8 | 8.1% |
| 2.3 – 2.3.2 | Gingerbread | 9 | 0.2% |
| 2.3.3 – 2.3.7 | 10 | 45.4% | |
| 3.1 | Honeycomb | 12 | 0.3% |
| 3.2 | 13 | 1.0% | |
| 4.0.3 – 4.0.4 | Ice Cream Sandwich | 15 | 29.0% |
| 4.1 | Jelly Bean | 16 | 12.2% |
| 4.2 | 17 | 1.4% |
As of the 4th of February 42.6% of people were running Ice Cream Sandwich or above which is great news. It means that just under half of the Android users are experiencing Android almost how it should be seen and not how it was several years ago. I’m guessing that most of these are the updated Galaxy SII and current generation HTC devices.
13.6% of people are on a version of Jelly Bean which is pleasant to see it creep above 10%. Again I’m guessing here but this is likely to be updated HTC devices, the current Samsung top end range and a few dozen LG NExus 4.
But most worrying of all is that 56.1% of people are running Gingerbread or lower. Whether this is old devices, slow devices, knock of tablets or just devices HTC can’t be bothered to update I don’t know. But it is worrying, over half of the Android user base are using a version of Android from yester year, no bookmark syncing, none of the latest apps.
I guess as long as you are enjoying your phone thats all that matters, only version obsessed people like me obsess over having the latest version of Android.
Source – Android Developers
My Desire (bought in May 2010) still has Froyo (Gingerbread was a faff to install). I was going to get an S3 but never got around to it. I will be getting an S4 (more than likely).
The problems for me are hardware based: 1. Far to low storage, it’s always telling me I’ve run out of app space and 2. The batteries well on the way out (here here for removable batteries!).
I can’t install Chrome but due to the screen size I only use the web a little, the stock Android browser is fine for this.
6 months after release, what’s the % of users on the latest iteration of iOS? How quickly does the previous generation die out?
The problem I foresee is that these Android figures predict a majority of users perpetually 2 generations behind the so called cutting edge. All those Gingerbread users will be upgrading handsets soon, due the carriers preference for 24month contracts now – most probably to phones running ICS. Hence still not the current latest iteration, and nowhere near Key Lime Pie.