KitKat now runs one in five Android devices

[AsAp]

Ten months since the release of KitKat Android 4.4, the most up to date version of Android now runs 21 percent of all Google OS devices.

As interest turns to what Android L will bring when it's released later this year, Google's 2013 OS, KitKat, continues to inch up, climbing from 18 percent in July to 20.9 percent in August.

Despite small changes to the market share each OS has, there's been no movement in their respective ranking. With 54 percent share between them, the three versions of Jelly Bean make up the most widely-used version of Android, followed by KitKat. However, Jelly Bean's overall share declined month on month, falling from 56.5 percent in July.Google's latest Android distribution numbers are gathered from devices that have the Google Play Store app installed, and covered a seven day period to 12 August.

Ice Cream Sandwich also dropped, decreasing to 10.6 percent, while Gingerbread's share rose ever so slightly to 13.6 percent. Froyo, which will likely soon drop off the list, now runs 0.7 percent of Android devices.

Google provides the numbers to developers each month to help them prioritise which versions to target.

While KitKat now commands a respectable share of Android devices, it still means most people with an Android phone are still stuck on an outdated OS that isn't receiving maintenance updates. Generally, devices that are older than 18 months at the time a new version of Android is released don't get the update.

Besides that, Android users are now focused on the new features that will come with Android L and the devices that will launch alongside it, such as the rumoured Nexus 6.

Google has partnered with LG for the Nexus 4 and 5, but if the Android rumour mill suggests itcould partner with Motorola this time around.

Smartphones that are expected to get Android L include the Nexus 4, Nexus 5 and Nexus 7, in addition to newer Google Play Edition phones, while HTC has promised to deliver the update to the HTC One M8 and M7 within 90 days of Google releasing the OS. There's also been lots of speculation over whether Motorola will deliver Android L to the Moto X. A Motorola exec confirmed last week that it will indeed get the update.

 

http://www.zdnet.com/kitkat-now-runs-one-in-five-android-devices-7000032621/