A father is a banker provided by nature - French proverb
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Majority of Android devices are on version 2.2
ANDROID DEVELOPERS have released data showing that nearly two-thirds of Android devices are running Android version 2.2, known as Froyo.
The data was collated based on the number of devices accessing the Android Market over a period of 14 days. This information is a resource for developers to help them decide what version of Android to target when building apps.
The results show that version 2.2 runs on a majority of 65.9 per cent of devices with version 2.1 in second place with 24.5 per cent share. The latest versions for phones, 2.3 and 2.3.3 combined only run on 4 per cent of devices and 3.0, which is for tablets, runs on just 0.3 per cent.
It doesn't surprise us much that Android 2.2 runs on the majority of smartphones because of various issues with the latest versions of Google's operating system (OS).
With regard to phones, we are seeing a lot of new handsets being released running Android 2.2, with manufacturers promising an update to Android 2.3 Gingerbread "shortly after release", such as the HTC Incredible S. Additionally, handsets on Android 2.2 with updates ready are getting updates suspended, such as the update for the Samsung Galaxy S.
No doubt the share will transition to Android 2.3 Gingerbread but how long this will take is another matter and developers will have to take this into account when deciding which version to build their apps for.
Unsurprisingly Android 3.0 Honeycomb has the lowest share with a mere 0.3 per cent. This is because we've only seen a handful of devices with the OS, which is specifically for tablets.
Like Gingerbread there have been issues with getting Honeycomb out to manufacturers, so we've only seen tablets like the Motorola Xoom and Asus Eee Pad Transformer actually released with it.
Other upcoming tablets are seemingly stuck on Android 2.2 with makers promising that their products will have Honeycomb upon release or soon afterwards.
Android 3.0 Honeycomb will also be leaving some older tablets behind that will be stuck on Android 2.2, some of which are only just now getting updates from even older versions of Android. µ
Tags: Software
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My phone, NexusOne, updated this morning to Android 2.3.4.
Google does not make me wait.
"Majority are rooted and running Custom ROM" - Really? I doubt that.
There are no doubt a fair number, but I bet 80%+ of people never touch the OS on their Android phone (or even add any additional Apps!)
My guess would be that once the current handsets go out of contract, there'll be a big swing to the latest version available at that time.
Obviously, though (until and unless there's an automatic upgrade) that will mean we'll get fits and bursts of adoptions of new Androids.
When Microsoft rolls out a service patch, people don't wait patiently for Dell to release a Dell version. So why do we need to wait for phone manufacturers for a free update to a phone OS?
HArdware manufacturers need to start making drivers available so ROMs can be built by the masses instead of by a few uber-geeks who hack apart ROMs from other phones with similar hardware.
P.S. thanks to the uber geeks. :)
Google needs to standardize OS upgrade process, take out carries and device manufactures and leave it up to the end user
I suspect most of the 2.2 using phones have been rooted and a custom ROM installed (like mine),
due to manufacturer apathy/malice.
My phone was released with 1.5, & updates were promised for well over a year but never materialised.
Then the manufacturer released a new model, and immediately cancelled all plans to upgrade existing phones.
Here in NZ, at least.