Google’s Android Lollipop fails to hit even the latest devices

Android Lollipop

A look into numbers showing the popularity of the different versions of Google’s Android OS reveals that almost no device in the market uses the latest update of the OS.

Google had launched the “Lollipop” version of the Android OS claiming that it is the most ambitious and advanced version of the OS till date. The update showcased Material Design with a brighter and bolder user interface. However, data shows that only 0.1% of all the devices in the market currently deploy the update. With this number, it is evident that almost nobody is using the update.

According to statistics, 46% of the devices are still running on the Jelly Bean update, and approximately 39.1% are using KitKat. Surprisingly, the scale points in the other direction when it comes to measuring the most recent versions of the OS. It starts from Lollipop being the latest to KitKat, to Jelly Bean, which runs on maximum devices.

Android Lollipop is available in the Galaxy S5 in the European markets. But the same is not true for the devices sold in the U.S. Even the latest HTC phones do not support the latest version of the platform.

Analysts say that this is because Android suffers from fragmentation, which can be explained as having too many versions in the market at the same time. Google allows third parties such as carriers and hardware makers a lot of flexibility with the OS. The company leaves it at the discretion of third parties to decide when they would like to roll out new versions on the devices. This has led to an introduction of a huge number of new devices that are still incapable of supporting the updates. On the other hand, the platform also suffers from new developments also because of this reason. Developers always have to face the deceiving question as to which version should they build for.

About the author

Nitika

Nitika Munshi

Nitika is an MCA graduate and works as an all-around news writer at PC-Tablet. In free time, she works on Photoshop and plays GTA V on her Xbox. A tech-enthusiast at heart, she explores ways that businesses can leverage the Internet and move their businesses to the next level.