Android KitKat is continuing its slow crawl out to compatible handsets, with Google confirming the latest iteration of its mobile OS is now on 20.9 per cent of devices.
Although Android 4.4 KitKat is now powering a fifth of all smartphones and tablets in the Android ecosystem, the software’s install base still pails in insignificance to that of its predecessor, Android 4.3 Jelly Bean.
Google’s latest figures have shown that Jelly Bean is still being run on 54.2 per cent of all Android devices, with the very first Android 4.3 release accounting for more than half of this user base.
Despite Android 4.4 KitKat having originally been introduced 10 months ago, Android 4.4 KitKat updates are still missing from a number of compatible devices.
What’s more, despite high-profile handsets such as the Samsung Galaxy S5 and LG G3 now coming preinstalled with KitKat, the new Android L OS is widely expected to be introduced alongside the Nexus 6 this October.
With Google having long been criticised for its fragmented mobile platform, these latest figures further highlight the gulf in update patterns between Android and iOS.
Last month Apple confirmed that iOS 7 adoption rates had already hit 90 per cent, with a 74 per cent install base having been achieved during the software’s first two months of availability.
Read More: Nexus 8 release date
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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.
