14 DAY TRIAL // The guys over at Android Developers have just put up a chart that shows which version of Google's Android operating system is used the most for accessing the Android Market. As showed there, the owners of mobile phone that run under the Android 1.6 flavor of the OS (Donut) are those who use the Android Market the most for downloading applications.
“This page provides data about the relative number of active devices running a given version of the Android platform. This can help you understand the landscape of device distribution and decide how to prioritize the development of your application features for the devices currently in the hands of users. Note: This data is based on the number of Android devices that have accessed Android Market within a 14-day period ending on the data collection date noted below (12/14/2009),” the page on the Android Developers states.
According to the said chart, the Android 1.6 devices account for 54.2 percent of the Android market usage, followed by Android 1.5 (Cupcake) mobile phones, which account for 27.7 percent. Next in line comes Android 2.0.1, with 14.8 percent, followed by Android 2.0 (Eclair) with 2.9 percent, and Android 1.1 with 0.3 percent usage.
For what it's worth, there percentages should prove helpful for developers who are not sure for which version of the OS to start building their applications. However, considering the fact that the Android 2.0 and 2.0.1 flavors are quite new versions, it was only natural for them to show a low percentage, though it will certainly rise in the near future.
In related news, we learn that Google has just delivered updated mobile web apps, and that users can now enjoy up to three times faster speeds when it comes to certain devices. According to Google, the mobile web browser capabilities and HTML5 have been pushed to the limit, and users are those to benefit the most from this. Beside that, users will also be able to enjoy a series of new widgets from HTC, meant mainly for those who own an HTC Hero or a CDMA-based HTC Droid Eris. The Android Market is the place where to find them, so go ahead.