By continuing, you agree to the Terms listed here. In case you want to opt out, please click "Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information" link in the footer of this page.
Opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information
We won't sell or share your personal information to inform the ads you see. You may still see interest-based ads if your information is sold or shared by other companies or was sold or shared previously.
| Debashis Sarkar | TOI Tech | May 20, 2016, 16:56 IST
If the latest features of Android are not popular and widely used...
Read More
If the latest features of Android are not popular and widely used, developers may lose interest to incorporate them in their apps as well.
Read Less
Share
The next version of Google’s Android operating system, dubbed Android N, is here. But is it really relevant, considering that over 88% of Android users are still stuck on older Lollipop and KitKat versions. As per Google’s own report, majority of Android users are either on Lollipop (35.6%) or on KitKat (32.5%) Android versions.. As for the numbers for the latest version -- Android Marshmallow, they stand at a piddly 7.5%.
So, it's time Google prioritizes Android's age-old fragmentation issue before jumping to the next version, likely to be called Android O. Or else, users may soon stop caring about the latest and greatest Android features altogether. And the problem doesn't end just there.
If the latest features of Android are not popular and widely used, developers may lose interest to incorporate them in their apps as well. For example, fingerprint scanners were supposed to be more meaningful than be simply used for unlocking smartphones. The latest Android Marshmallow comes with fingerprint sign-on feature baked in. With this, users can log into apps and even make payments using fingerprint authentication. However, developers just can’t go ahead with with incorporating the feature in their apps with just 7.5% users on-board.
Another huge risk is security. With 88% users on older Android versions, how can Google vouch for security, something that it takes pride in.
All said, the search giant alone cannot be single-handedly blamed for this huge divide. That's because unlike Apple, Google has to deal with countless Android smartphone brands, chip makers, carriers and developers. Backward compatibility is not always a seamless solution.
But it’s time Google goes back to the drawing board and finds a way to bring the 80% plus users on the latest Android version quickly and also ensures that it happens with all the future Android versions as well.
Read Also:
If that doesn't happen, the upcoming Android N might have its user base stuck at around 10% as well.