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Apple: iOS 9 ‘fastest adoption ever’, now on 50% of devices

Apple’s iOS 9 has been live to the public for just shy of a week now, but it’s already seeing incredible uptake.

The Cupertino-based company has just confirmed that its latest mobile OS is already on 50% of devices.

That figure was true as of data recorded by the App Store on September 19 – three days after launch.

As such, it’s assured that the actual adoption figure will be even higher now.

Apple also revealed that iOS 9’s uptake represents the fastest iOS adoption in history.

iOS 9 is also off to an amazing start, on pace to be downloaded by more users than any other software release in Apple’s history,” explains Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior VP of Worldwide Marketing.

For comparison, Android Lollipop (5.0 & 5.1) currently has a total 21.0% adoption, as of September 7.

Lollipop became available through over-the-air updates on November 12, 2014 – almost one year ago.

The stark contrast is easily explained, of course. Apple can roll out software to its small selection of handsets with ease.

Google, meanwhile, struggles to ship software to a hugely fragmented platform, and Android updates have painstaking launch processes hampered by tinkering manufacturers and lethargic carriers.

Apple’s iOS 9 launched to the public proper on September 16, just days after the unveiling of the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus.

Related: iOS 9 Features: What’s new?

According to Schiller, the reception to the handsets has been pretty impressive. Although that’s unsurprising for an iPhone launch.

“Customer response to the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus has been incredibly positive,” explains Apple’s marketing lead. “We can’t wait to get our most advanced iPhones ever into customers’ hands starting this Friday.”

Both new handsets are set to go on sale in retail stores starting on September 25.

Will you be buying a new Apple smartphone? Tell us why, or why not, in the comments below.

Check out our iOS 9 features video below:

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