As many of us already know the latest version of Android runs by the codename, Jelly Bean and has the version number, 4.1, but with all its popularity among readers it still holds the lowest percentage of active devices accessing Google Play for downloads according to data pulled from a 14 day period ending on September 4th, 2012.
The Android operating system has several different flavors out there since its public introduction in 2007 and of all those flavors, Gingerbread is the most widely used at 57%. Coming in second place and passing Froyo is Ice Cream Sandwich, at 20.8%. As mentioned above, Jelly Bean is the least active OS and only grabs 1.2% of the Android pie chart. The Android Developers‘ website provides this chart and some useful data about the mixture of OS’s for developers to take into consideration when planning the design of new applications. After all, a developer wants their app to have all the latest moves, but want to make sure it can do a little slow dancing with older devices as well. Tailor to more devices and increase the opportunity to make some money.
What does this article say to the typical reader/non-developer? It says that most of our phones are still lacking the latest version of Android and we are starting to tap our fingers a little louder on the desk as the happy anticipation is starting to turn into a slight annoyance.
HTC handled the deployment of Ice Cream Sandwich pretty well when it was announced last November. A status was posted on their Facebook page with a list of devices that were expected to see the software update and versions of the HTC Sensation received ICS within a few weeks and then a few others shortly after that. As August came to a close, HTC began responding to customer’s comments/complaints on Facebook to acknowledge the promised deadline was going to be missed for the remaining devices, but that it still has plans to deliver ICS to those phones slated to get it.
Where does Jelly Bean fall into HTC’s cycle? It is no doubt that the HTC One series phones are going to get JB along with the HTC Evo 4G LTE, the HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE and the HTC Desire X, but HTC has been way too silent about their plans to roll it out. While we do not expect them to just say, “The HTC One X is going to get Jelly Bean on September 19th,” the same day HTC has a special event planned in New York it would be kind of nice to see what type of deadline they are shooting for. And what about those phones that just received Ice Cream Sandwich. Will those models officially see the latest OS? Hopefully so, but as time draws out it is hard to say how this story will unfold.
It feels like Jelly Bean was announced too soon after Ice Cream Sandwich and manufacturers have been unable to keep up with the pace while moving forward with new hardware and priority business matters. In a few months or early into next year, our prediction is that ICS will own the real estate on the pie chart that Gingerbread now has and the cycle will repeat with future versions of Android.
Stay tuned the HTCSource, as we will give you every bit of information we have on OS deployments and expected time frames. Also check out our forecast of Jelly Bean recipients.
Source: Engadget via Slashgear via Android Developers
