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We know. Android is a “toxic hell stew” and despite Apple’s claims that only 9% of users are even running the latest version, the latest Android platform distribution numbers are telling us something completely different. Checking in for the month of July, 2014, KitKat can now officially be found running on 17.9% of active Android devices (up from 13.6% the previous month). Not too shabby.
Unfortunately the numbers still haven’t been updated with the specific versions of KitKat rolling out around the world (4.4.2, 4.4.3, 4.4.4), or it would paint a much different picture. As any die-hard Android enthusiast will tell you, there’s no satisfaction in simply running the latest major firmware release, the only way some can sleep at night is knowing their phone is running the absolute latest version of Android possible (currently Android 4.4.4). In which case for them, we recommend a Nexus or Google Play edition device.
Of course, Gingerbread is still hanging on for dear life, with Froyo drifting off into obscurity. It can be argued that many new features are being added to legacy versions of Android all the time thanks to updates to Google Play Services. But after taking a look at the Android L Developer Preview, there’s simply no denying the appeal that comes with major firmware releases.
It will be interesting to see how this chart evolves in the coming months and whether or not Android TV and Android Wear will find a spot in the platform numbers.
Lollipop
Why does 2.3 and 4.0 still have a prominent spot on the map? how many years has it been since JB? get with the times yo
1 year 359 days
Gingerbread holding on to dear life? Nah it’s looking pretty comfortable on the pie chart actually…
GB shrinks every month. It needs to die. It’s 4 years old.
gingerbread probably stays on for a good reason…hardware.
Now, why isn’t ICS dead?
I have a couple colleagues that have ruggedized GB phones, and are very happy with them. One has had the phone drop 100+ feet and survive. Sounds like a keeper to me :)
My Note 2 and my wife’s G4 mini have both received Kit Kat 4.4.2 OTA in the last few days. Given the % of samsung phones worldwide the % of Kit Kat adoption is likely to rise quickly now Sammy are getting their act together
In the UK
That’s horrible less than 20% on kit Kat. Google needs to create a way as difficult as it may be to update the entire underlying framework and still give third party the ability to change ui later down the road
I just received KitKat this morning on my Verizon Galaxy S3. I would criticize Android for being fragmented, but in all honesty – it doesn’t change all that much. It’s a nice update for sure, but everything I’m running now runs just as well on Gingerbread. (though I will say I didn’t really start loving Android until Ice Cream Sammich started rolling out).
Fragmentation pretty much went away with ICS. (For the most part)
First, this distribution does not breakdown how many of 17.9% are updated by manufacturer supplied kitkat update on existing/older phones and at what level(4.4.1-4.4.4). Second, how many have newer android phones that came with kitkat version. Third, how many frustrated android users(carapware,malware,etc) turn to XDA custom ROMS and keep wasting time updating nightly/snapshot builds where few fixes gets-in while few are broken or previously working feature gets broken.
Come on, I have last year’s LG optimus G e970 and AT&T don’t even sell anymore so even current update like kitkat is out of question and “L” version coming soon but will never see light on my phone.
Why in a hell people use android other than larger screen and bit cheaper. Hope, iphone 6 comes with larger screen and than no need to deal with android for stability and wait forever for timely OTA updates. Android is still fragmented. Hope, we are all still alive to see unified and timely update implemented in android..
I hear Google has gotten on the fitness bandwagon. L is for Lima Bean!