By Some new figures have come out from Google regarding platform distribution of devices with access to the Android market. As usual, data’s been collected for two weeks leading up to October 1st and brings us some new numbers. For starters, Android 2.2 is growing steadily as it’s jumped up to 33.4% – last we checked, it’d only been on 28% of all devices. Android 2.1 is still the most common version sitting at 40.4% – a small jump from the 41% it sat at two weeks ago.
As for the pre-2.x versions? There’s still a good chunk of you out there waiting to be upgraded to Android 2.1, as Android 1.5 and 1.6 collectively make up 26% of all devices. That’s a huge problem, I think, and I don’t see it going away until users are willing to drop their current phones for new ones instead of waiting for their issuing carriers and manufacturers to deliver a modern version of Android.
Nothing is promised (and you’re not obligated to receive anything more than what you get out of the box) unless the manufacturer or carrier says otherwise, of course, but I hope – for the sake of not only the users but the developers who have to target such an old version of the OS – that we see the problem dissipate soon one way or another.
I don’t see how phones running 1.5 or 1.6 is a problem as some phones just don’t have what it takes to get 2.2.
With that said… i do think it’s a problem when NEW phones are being released with anything less than 2.x.
Speaking as a developer most(but not all) apps can easily be targeted and run on all versions of the OS.
its possible… if cyanogen can get 2.2 running on a g1.. im pretty sure the problem isnt that the phones dont have what it takes
I wonder how much Cyanogen affects this. Given the fact that most people running are more likely to be on devices where the official version is pre 2.x
Hah! Every single Motorola Cliq and Cliq XT is still on 1.5. Really fugged up!
@Kidd…. you are correct, but once again the manufacture and carrier don’t make money on firmware upgrades. I proposed to all the carriers and the manufactures to charge for and upgrade. I realize that it is nearly impossible to do since Android is open source, but that can charge for there proprietary extra’s. Maybe they will listen one day…. doubtful, but hopeful…
since i added froyo to my phone the battery life is awful, its almost empty every day when i dont even touch it
Some phones will never get an update. Just like a Pentium III isn’t getting windows 7. With all the cheap upgrades it makes me wonder why people don’t get new Phones. $.01 Samsung Fascinate anyone?
To pin this on the users is utter BS. When Android phones are sold with 2 year contracts it’s reasonable to assume that said handsets would stay relatively up-to-date for at least a good portion of that period.
People don’t get new phones because most are locked into 2 year agreements and sure, while you can pick up the latest and greatest for next to nothing, it’s going to end up costing you too much to break contract to get said phone.
Thanks to Sense, Blur, Touchwiz, Expresso…
@josh I am sorry but unofficial froyo runs much better than 1.5 (lastest official with Telus) on my Hero. Froyo is faster, not slower. So how can you say that devices doesn’t have the hardware to run froyo?
ITS NOT ON MY VIBRANT YET!!! But man I just installed LauncherPro Plus 8.0 and MAN what an improvement over Touch Wiz!!
The 1.5 and 1.6 user base wont drop off for a while I imagine. The users who have those phones probably wont be due for an upgrade in the next year or so, and those devices probably wont get updates to 2.x by the manufactures.
I have a problem with a carrier selling a phone to a customer
Like ATT when I bought the Backflip having signs both instore
saying 1.5 Upgradable to 2.0 and even telling me this.
But no upgrade available! That is at best false advertising
and reason to break your contract. Failure to provide as advertised.
Sorry meant to say instore, online and verbal commented to upgrades.
mytouch 3g still rockin 1.6 stilllll sucks
@kidd, zorxd, etc.: Actually, I believe 2.x requires 256MB of RAM, so there is a very good chance that old phones simply won’t work on it. I read that Gingerbread will require 512, but I am not entirely sure how accurate that info is. There are also other requirements, at least if you want to have access to the Market, and really, what carriers don’t want that? So if the phone doesn’t meet the requirements for Market access, it doesn’t really matter if the phone can physically support 2.x, you will never see an official update because, as far as the carrier/manufacturer is concerned, there is simply not point to wasting the effort. Thankfully we have XDA et al to fill that void (for the most part).
On a side note, FroYo on my Captivate is awesome :-) To those complaining about battery life, I appear to be experiencing lower battery life on my phone, but I reloaded many of my old apps, and there may be a problem with one or more of them that is causing the lowered battery life. I have another Captivate that I also upgraded, and it has _far_ less on it, and the battery life is stellar. It might also be the battery in my phone — I am still not sure about these batteries I got on eBay…
Don’t forget all S.E. phone are unfortunatly at 1.6 …
@Sir Wally-Rumors and hearsay, sir! My poor G1 got all the way to Froyo months ago. There were no RAM requirements. And Google has nixed the Gingerbread RAM requirement rumor, as reported in this site.
Many languish with Cupcake and Donut simply because the users are afraid or intimidated by rooting their phones. However, as all who have rooted their phones know, rooting allows the user to control their phones’ destiny.
@Dave, the PC argument doesn’t hold up. How many years between the Pentium iii and windows 7? Probably the same as the number of months between sale of my Hero and the release of froyo.
As a developer in New Zealand, it’s frustrating that the 2 major carriers here (Telecom, and Vodafone) are mostly stocking pre-2.1 version phones. Telecom has only just picked up the Motorola Milestone (A year old phone) and they’re touting it as the hot new thing!
It means that any apps that I develop targeted toward New Zealanders will have to be compatible with 1.5-1.6 which wouldn’t be a problem if that didn’t rule out the Bluetooth APIs.
Just root your phones. I’ve had 2.1 on my Droid Eris long before the update came. I could have 2.2 on it at this very moment if I chose to but I’m pretty happy with what I’ve got running right now. Flash, live wallpapers, overclocked, tethering, and able to play Nintendo, GameBoy, Sega, and Atari games (actually the ROM emulators may not have root required). I still get a full days battery use on my phone with all of that, even though I’m using the lowly low-end Eris. As always, YMMV.
That’s how I look at open source, they give you a base model, you customize it.
Title is a bit misleading –
“Froyo now on more than a Third of all Devices, 1.5 and 1.6 still a Quarter”
I know it’s an Android forum but don’t you mean “more than one third of all Android devices”.
Speaking as an idealist, it would be great to see at least 2.x on 100% of devices.
Speaking as the owner of a new Epic 4G, however, I really don’t care if anybody other than me gets an update–unless it’s another one of the Galaxy S line…
@JO do you feel that we should also specify that it refers to mobile phones, and not say toasters, or hover boards?
All phones that’s on 1.6 or 1.5V SHOULD JUST JUMP TO 2.2 cause it’s pointless for some users such as myself not be able to update our hardware and software. And their taking too damn long.
@Josh’s first comment: The Dell Streak is shipped with 1.5 even though it is an amazing phone.
Now i’m throwing my Magic “with Google” out of the window for an iPhone 4…
NEVER EVER AN ANDROID AGAIN !!!
P.S.
iPhone 2G was updated for 3 years and gained a lot of new features.
@RobC Rooting your phone is all well and good, but when the only phones that you can buy from a store in your price range are the less common ones (eg LG GW620f) I find that the newer ROMs for these devices may not support Bluetooth (my reason for wanting 2.1) or GPS which again is a deal breaker.
Not sure if the companies would go for this but what if they take best working copy from the developement community after certain period of time and give phone owners the ability to upgrade their OS. Customers upgrading would also have to agree that doing so would void warranty and is not supported but can get phone to a good working copy of current OS system.