Google today updated its Platform Versions Web page for Android, and it looks like the slow adoption story continues: Android 4.x still isn’t even at the 30 percent mark. More specifically, 2.7 percent of Android users are now on version 4.1 (Jelly Bean), while 25.8 percent of Android users are now on Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), according to Google’s own data.
More than half of Android users are still on version 2.3 (Gingerbread), which has 54.2 percent share of the droid’s pie. Furthermore, third place (after ICS in second) is still held by Android 2.2 (Froyo), with 12.0 percent share.
Last month, we reported ICS was at 23.7 percent and Jelly Bean was at 1.8 percent. In other words, the gains have been minuscule: just 2.1 percent for ICS and 0.9 percent for Jelly Bean.
In less than two weeks, there will be a new version of Google’s mobile operating system: Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean). Yes, Android 4.1 and Android 4.2 have the same codename, much like Éclair was both version 2.0 and 2.1. The first Jelly Bean was announced in June 2012 and the second Jelly Bean was announced in October 2012.
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Unfortunately, those Jelly Bean releases aren’t the ones that will fix Android’s fragmentation problem. Maybe it will come down to Key Lime Pie, or maybe the issue will just never be solved.
The adoption of new Android versions continues to be very slow because updates are being rolled out for current devices at a snail’s pace, as users have to wait on carriers and/or manufacturers. We can expect Jelly Bean to increase share more and more rapidly, especially as new devices ship from Google and its partners, but it’s going to be a very long time before it passes Froyo and ICS, let alone takes the number one spot from Gingerbread.
We’ll be watching very closely to see what kind of impact the new Nexus line of products will have on Jelly Bean’s share.
See also – Google reveals the Nexus 4: 8GB for $299, 16GB for $349 available November 13 and Google officially announces the Nexus 10: 16GB for $399, 32GB for $499 available November 13
Image credit: Arianne van Noordt
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