In news that will come as a surprise to absolutely no-one, Google has revealed the latest version of Android isn’t running on many devices out in the wild.
According to this month’s distribution numbers, Android 6.0 Marshmallow is currently sitting on 0.3 per cent of Google-powered phones (via 9to5Google).
While Nexus devices and the HTC One A9 are the only devices to get the upgrade, an overall tally of 3 in every 1,000 phones makes for grim reading. For a little context, 2010’s Android 2.2 Froyo devices retain a 0.2 per cent share of the market.
In slightly better news for Google, last year’s release Android Lollipop (versions 5.0 and 5.1) now appears on 25.6 per cent of devices Android devices.
See also: Android Marshmallow 6.0: When will my phone get it
The figures continue to make it clear that, despite Google’s best efforts and promises from hardware makers, Android fragmentation is showing no signs of abating.
Six weeks after Apple launched iOS 9, Apple is up to 66 per cent adoption.
The uncertainty surrounding updates make Google’s own Nexus devices the only way to go if users want the new versions as soon as they land.
Unless an OS ships with a device, users face months waiting for the update, if it ever arrives at all.
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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.
