Google has released its latest Android distribution figures, and Android KitKat is now on almost 40 percent of Android devices.
The latest figures cover the period up until the 5th of January 2015, and Android KitKat is now on a total of 39.1 percent of all devices.
Android Distribution Breakdown
Android Jelly Bean is still in the top spot with a 46 percent share of distribution. This version of Android, which includes versions 4.1.x, 4.2.x, and 4.3, has been popular due to its stability and performance improvements over previous versions. Jelly Bean introduced features such as Google Now, Project Butter for smoother performance, and expandable notifications, which have kept it relevant and widely used.
Following Jelly Bean, we have Gingerbread, which is on 7.8 percent of devices. Gingerbread, despite being an older version (released in December 2010), still maintains a presence due to its compatibility with older hardware and its lightweight nature. Many budget devices and regions with limited access to newer hardware continue to use Gingerbread.
Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) is on 6.7 percent of devices. ICS was a significant update when it was released, bringing a unified user interface for both smartphones and tablets. It introduced the Holo design language, which influenced the look and feel of Android for several years. Despite its age, ICS is still found on some devices that haven’t been updated to newer versions.
Froyo, one of the oldest versions still in use, is on 0.4 percent of devices. Released in May 2010, Froyo brought features like USB tethering and Wi-Fi hotspot functionality. Its presence, although minimal, indicates that there are still some very old devices in use that haven’t been upgraded or replaced.
Absence of Android Lollipop
There is no mention in the latest figures on the distribution of the latest version of Google’s mobile OS, Android 5.0 Lollipop. This absence is notable because Lollipop introduced significant changes to the Android platform, including the new Material Design language, which brought a more modern and visually appealing interface. It also included performance improvements with the ART runtime and new features like notifications on the lock screen and a battery saver mode.
Google does not list versions of its mobile OS where the distribution is less than 0.1 percent, so we presume that Android Lollipop is in this category at the moment. This could be due to the fact that Lollipop was only recently released at the time these figures were compiled, and it takes time for new versions to roll out to all devices. Carrier testing, manufacturer customizations, and user adoption all play roles in the speed of distribution.
As newer versions of Android are released, it will be interesting to see how quickly they are adopted and how they impact the distribution of older versions. The fragmentation of the Android ecosystem has been a topic of discussion for years, with many users and developers advocating for faster updates and more consistent experiences across devices.
Source Android Developers
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