Mountain View keeps track of its Google Android distribution (version) numbers and has done so for quite some time.
The numbers are often quite interesting to peruse, as they indicate that a significant number of Android users are rather slow to upgrade the operating system on their devices – even when upgrades are readily available. Indeed, for the longest time Gingerbread (2.3) dominated Google’s Android numbers.
Interestingly, the latest numbers are in for the two weeks ending on March 4 of 2013 and confirm Androud devices running Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0) and higher are now in the majority. To be sure, ICS claims 28.6% of the Android market, while Jelly Bean captured 16.5% of the Android market. Subdivided, the 16.5% Jelly Bean market share shows Android 4.1 at 14.9% and Android 4.2 closing in at 1.6%.
While Android 4.0 boasts more Android market share than Gingerbread, as a single Android flavor Gingerbread still dominates the scene. Indeed, Gingerbread continues to maintain 44.2% of the overall Android market. Even older versions of Android still hold some of the market, with Froyo and Eclair combining for 9.6% of the overall market.
Google is expected to launch the next major update for Android – Key Lime Pie (5.0) – at Google I/O later this spring. Personally, I can’t help but wonder how much longer it will take for a single version of Android to overtake Gingerbread? Ice Cream Sandwich appears to have the best chance of making that happen. And when it comes to the overall smartphone market, Android owns 70% overall.
