Android Oreo has cropped up on Google’s developer charts that show the distribution of devices running different versions of the search giant’s mobile operating system.
A mere 0.2% of Android phones and tablets are running Android 8.0, though given the OS only just started being pushed out to devices, with Google’s own Pixel and Pixel XL phones getting the first bite of the cherry, the small distribution figures are to be expected.
That could all change with the reveal and release of the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL handsets from Google, which are expected to come running Android Oreo out of the box.
Android 6.0 Marshmallow is on the lion’s share of devices, with some 32% running the OS; the newer Android Nougat has a a 15.8% share.
It might seem off that there are devices that haven’t been upgraded to the never versions of Android, but the onus on rolling out updates is on the handset maker not Google, and companies such as Samsung and LG tend to not push out updates to older smartphones. So unless people upgrade their Android handsets regularly, this disparity in Android distributions is set to continue.
But even the the top-of-the-line smartphones like the Galaxy S8 still take time to get the latest version of Android pushed out to them, and may only be upgraded a good few months after the latest Android version has been released; Google even draws the line at pushing out updates to some of its older Nexus devices, despite their stock-Android credentials.
This situation means there’s not likely to an end of fragmentation in the Android phone arena anytime soon.
In comparison, around 80% of Apple iOS devices are running iOS 10, and MacRumours notes that 24 hours after the launch of the iOS 11 10% of iPad and iPhone users had downloaded the new OS. This may have been a decrease on the amount of people who rushed to download iOS 10, but it shows that Apple’s tight control over its devices and software means it has a large proportion of its products running on the same OS version.
Related: When will my phone get Android Oreo?
Are you on Oreo or stuck with an older version of Android? Tweet us @TrustedReviews or let us know on Facebook.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
