Jelly Bean Now Running On 50% of Android Devices
More and more users are running Jelly Bean, but many are still on different builds of the software.
Google just last Thursday announced the arrival of Android 4.4 KitKat. As folks eagerly await the arrival of the newest version of Android (Nexus 5 shipments haven't yet arrived, and other devices won't get Android 4.4 for a few more weeks), Jelly Bean permeation continues at a steady pace.
Google's latest Android usage figures for the seven days ending November 1, 2013 report that Android Jelly Bean is running on a total of 52.1 percent of Android devices. Of course, these aren't all the same versions of Jelly Bean, and Android 4.1 remains the leader with 37.3 percent. Android 4.2 and 4.3 account for 12.5 percent and 2.3 percent of the market, respectively.
Google's latest version of Android, Android 4.4 KitKat, has yet to make it onto the board. This is no surprise, given these numbers were released just one day after KitKat was announced, and the Nexus 5 (the first KitKat device) has yet to ship.
Next to Jelly Bean, Gingerbread is in second place in terms of which Android version accounts for the most users. Google's numbers put Gingerbread (Android 2.3.3 - 2.3.7) at 26.3 percent. Ice Cream Sandwich (build 4.0.3 to 4.0.4) is in third with 19.8 percent.
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Jane McEntegart is a writer, editor, and marketing communications professional with 17 years of experience in the technology industry. She has written about a wide range of technology topics, including smartphones, tablets, and game consoles. Her articles have been published in Tom's Guide, Tom's Hardware, MobileSyrup, and Edge Up.
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jimmysmitty I hate spammers.Reply
And still, 50% is good but its still fragmented. The majority of devices now on JB probably wont see KitKat. -
JD88 This is very good progress. KitKat is actually more optimized for lower end hardware so there should be less of a reason to hold off on upgrading older models.Reply
The fact is that OS version fragmentation is starting to be less meaningful as Google is transferring a lot of core features over to Play Services, the Google Experience launcher, and other stand alone apps. I already have most of the Kit Kat features shown on the Nexus 5 on my GS3 thanks to this. Brilliant work around to overcoming carrier related "testing" and slow manufacturers. -
DarkSable And I'm still on my Galaxy S 4g, which is running Android 2.2 (badly). I can't wait for my nexus 5 - it shipped this morning and should hopefully be here within the week!Reply -
GeeLouie otacon , November 4, 2013 4:35 PMReply
..most fragmented OS in history.
Who cares because Android is more complete than ios which isn;t even an os but rather a glorified App Launcher! lol
Android is now 81.3% market share and in one year it will be 85% and apple will be in the single digits! lol -
jarred125 GeeLouie,Reply
More complete of an OS? If you're going to say things like that, at least have a clue as to what you're talking about.
Sure Android has a lot of market share, but that doesn't make it a better option. With a plethora of different handsets and tablets running Android (vs a few devices for Apple) this SHOULD be the norm. Android devices have more choice when it comes to size, etc, and the general public has the mentality of bigger is better. I cringe anymore when having to look at problems on my wife's Galaxy S4. Massive battery drain all of a sudden, and the battery meter is useless in trying to determine where it went because it's consumed by "Android OS". Now, the user is either given the option of googling and tracking down the apps that have gone wrong, resetting the device to factory defaults or just dealing with it.
I used Android for years and for me the pros are no longer outweighing the cons, which is why I switched to an iPhone and prefer the experience. I get updates at the same time as everyone else and I know I will get them for right around two years per device. Rather than have to worry if Samsung or HTC or whoever is going to pony up the effort to release a good update, or even one at all. -
GeeLouie @jarredReply
Your post is entirely void of ANY facts. None! Just a random anecdote which i believe must be false. galaxy phones rate higher than iphones on almost any tech site except for those run by apple. galaxy phones also have TWICE the talk time of an iphone. now run along and stick with your crippled glorified app launcher