77% of Android devices using 2.x, most still on old versions
updated 11:40 am EDT, Tue November 2, 2010
Android in October now 77pc Android 2, still lags
Over three quarters of all Android devices are now using at least 2.1 or 2.2, Google's latest version updated showed. As of the end of October, exactly 77 percent were using one of the two versions. Both 1.5 and 1.6 are still on a gentle decline but are now less than a quarter combined.
The results nonetheless revealed a sustained problem for Google, since fewer devices, 36.2 percent, were using Android 2.2 than Android 2.1's 40.8 percent. A lack of updates to the newer OS leaves the majority of users locked out of newer features, such as real-time Latitude updating and Voice Actions.
Google has taken steps to reduce the effect of fragmentation on its platform by making some apps stand-alone to get independent updates, but the company isn't thought to be tackling fragmentation in earnest until Gingerbread (2.3) is made public. The new software may decouple more apps and could make it easier to upgrade the core OS.
