…And Android 2.x closes in on three-quarters of all devices.
The latest numbers from Google (GOOG) have the Android platform finally starting to adopt Android 2.2 (Froyo), as high profile updates have come to major handsets. Unless you were doing some hacking, in August, your only Froyo-enabled handset was the Google Nexus One. That was reflected in the numbers. Android 2.2 was barely on the pie chart (below) at below 5% of all devices. However, in August, The Sprint EVO, then the Droid, Droid 2 and Droid Incredible all saw 2.2 updates.
That was enough to push Froyo to a quarter of all Android devices. This month is the first time all Android 2.x devices passed the 70% barrier as well. That stat is even more amazing in that AT&T last month released two different “high end” Android devices (Dell Streak and Sony Xperia X10) that are still somehow running Android 1.6.
Android 2.2 allows for running Adobe’s Flash, Mobile hotspots, much faster OS and browsing as well as some improved enterprise features. Most importantly, it also enable’s Google’s Voice Actions which allow the control of the device and typing by voice.
The numbers are following a familiar pattern which show that Android 2.2, as it gets released on more devices (notably Samsung’s popular Galaxy line), will gobble up market share. Meanwhile, only a few devices that are running older versions of the Android OS are still around. Even a lot of those (like Sony and Dell again) are promised to be updated to 2.2 and beyond.
This ‘fragmentation issue’ isn’t just an Android problem. Most newer BlackBerry (RIMM) devices won’t run the new BlackBerry 6.0 OS that debuted with the BlackBerry Torch last month. Also, Apple (AAPL) announced this week that its iPhone 3G wouldn’t be able to use its new Gamecenter online gaming program. The iPhone 3G was on store shelves just a few months ago and can only run a stripped down version of iOS 4, and even though some features are disabled, there has been some outcry about its performance. Apple’s first generation iPods and iPhones can’t use the iOS 4.0 software.
