14 DAY TRIAL // Google has updated the numbers regarding the Android distribution around the world, and you’ve guessed it, they are still way too fragmented.
One the biggest problems for Google, if not the biggest, is the OS fragmentation. Ironically, this problem for Android is also its greatest weapon, so it’s not going to go away anytime soon. It’s difficult to critique the fact that the platform is so fragmented when it’s also the reason why Android is the most used OS in the world.
Google also follows and insanely strict and fast development schedule, which means that a new version of the operating system is launched every year. The support for older OSes doesn’t last for just one year, and the smartphone makers are not quick to adopt the latest version of Android.
If you take into account that many companies don’t even offer proper security patches, the fragmentation problem is also a security one. There is no easy solution, and Google continues to power on with the same gusto.
Nougat is still the king
Yes, Android 7.x is the most used version of the OS in the world right now. Made available back in the summer of 2016, it’s still powering most of the active Android devices today and covers 30.8% of the market.
The second place is occupied by Android 6.x “Marshmallow,” with 26%. It was originally released all the way back in 2015, and technically, Android doesn’t have EOL (end of life). The last security update for Android 6.x was made available in December 2017.
And then we have Android 5.x Lollipop (22.9%), followed by Android 4.4 KitKat (10.5%), Android 8.x (4.6%), Android Jelly Bean (4.5%), Android Ice Cream Sandwich (0.4%), and Android Gingerbread (0.3%)
It’s a weird combination, with Android 8.x barely getting on the radar. It’s growing, but it will take a year to become really popular, by which time we will already be running Android 9 on new devices.
