Android 2.2 has finally become the majority version of the OS just as 2.3 has hit the streets, Google's latest official data showed. Basing its information on results as of early this month, about 51.8 percent were using the previous version about eight months after it was first made public at Google I/O in May. Owing in part to the limited launch of the Nexus S, only 0.4 percent were using the true latest release.
About 12.6 percent of the total Android user base was running 1.6 or earlier, including builds that are now up to a year and a half old.
Android 2.3 pickup is expected to improve considerably once more devices using the OS ship, such as the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc. Many of the smartphones unveiled at CES, such as the Atrix 4G and claimed OS fragmentation doesn't exist but has almost always seen only a fraction of its user base ever using the most recent version and having access to the latest features. The stalling has usually been attributed to manufacturers developing custom UIs that require separate testing and almost always push out the release by at least two months. Only phones with a completely stock interface, such as the Nexus One and Nexus S, have received relatively quick updates.
Apple in contrast may already have 90 percent of users on iOS 4 after a shorter time span. The speed for both this and past updates has usually helped Apple ensure that most of its users can see the same features. Both itself and third-party developers can likewise target their apps at the latest version instead of needing backwards compatibility, as on Android.
