Android 8.0 Oreo distribution sits at just 0.5 percent

[Shawn Knight]

Android Oreo, the latest version of Google’s popular mobile operating system, was released to the public on August 21 (the same day the solar eclipse occurred). Despite launching nearly four months ago, however, the OS has barely impacted the Android ecosystem.

According to Google’s Android dashboard, distribution for Android 8.0 Oreo sits at just 0.5 percent. After nearly 16 months on the open market, Android 7.x Nougat has captured 23.3 percent of the pie while Android 6.0 Marshmallow is now installed on 29.7 percent of Android devices.

At 0.5 percent, Oreo has the same distribution as Ice Cream Sandwich which arrived more than six years ago. Android Gingerbread is still hanging on with 0.4 percent distribution.

The numbers are based on devices that visited the Google Play Store during a seven-day period ending December 11.

For comparison, 59 percent of Apple devices are running the latest version of iOS (iOS 11) while 33 percent are still running last year’s iOS 10.

Google’s own Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL smartphones ship with the latest version of Android, as do a select few other handsets like the new Honor V10.

Google earlier this month launched a lightweight version of Oreo for low-end phones. Android Oreo (Go edition) should, among other things, boost Oreo’s adoption rate, especially in emerging markets where flagship smartphones aren’t the norm.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/72277-android-80-oreo-distribution-sits-05-percent.html

 

[EClyde]

It be because the vendors never update

 

[IAMTHESTIG]

There are so many Android phones out there that manufacturers and carriers don't want to put the effort into maintaining the software because they can just sell you a new phone.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

Fragmentation continues to be a problem because google refuses to fix android.

They have a proper update system in chromeOS, yet they cant even be bothered to provide more then 2 years of feature updates to their own pixel devices.

OEMs have no reason to improve because google doesnt care. If you want a properly supported device, go apple.

 

[trparky]

There are so many Android phones out there that manufacturers and carriers don't want to put the effort into maintaining the software because they can just sell you a new phone.

Pretty much this. Why? Because it makes them money by the semi-truck full. This strategy practically prints the green stuff for them. And of course people fall for it hook, line, and sinker all the while the OEMs are laughing all the way to the bank.

Meanwhile you have Apple in which my year old iPhone 7 Plus and even the two year old iPhone 6s is still getting regular updates both security and feature updates. Yeah... I'm thinking Apple is doing things a whole lot better in the software update department.

 

[petert]

Fragmentation continues to be a problem because google refuses to fix android.

They have a proper update system in chromeOS, yet they cant even be bothered to provide more then 2 years of feature updates to their own pixel devices.

OEMs have no reason to improve because google doesnt care. If you want a properly supported device, go apple.

Chill out, project Treble is on its way, will iron out many of those issues. Ironically you are partially right, at least for pixel 1 google didn't give a shite about fragmentation and actually put pixel 1 ahead of nexus line for updates and even exclusive features. Which was plainly retarded, they fragmented their own line of products back then. I suspect there is a dipshit manager who wanna play the Apple game using Google's resources. But Apple is way ahead of the game, in the sense that they actually deliver some good stuff, don't just overcharge people. But to answer your original thought, is the OEM actually who doesn't care to update Android - once they sold you the handset, their incentive to update is low, especially if they are going to release a new iteration of that product.

 

[Nobina]

Same story every time after a new Android. Manufacturers make too many phones for all sorts of price points and It becomes hard to support all of them, it costs money and it is not worth it to support every budget device. At least my S6 is gonna get Android Oreo, or it's supposed to.

 

[Lionvibez]

Same story every time after a new Android. Manufacturers make too many phones for all sorts of price points and It becomes hard to support all of them, it costs money and it is not worth it to support every budget device. At least my S6 is gonna get Android Oreo, or it's supposed to.

This^^^

how is this even news!

Its the same story every time a new version drops.

 

[EClyde]

...it's supposed to.

That's the ticket

 

[VitalyT]

Seeing those cookies always make me cringe. I can't stand the view of anything with excessive sugar in it. Such a poor choice for advertisement!

 

[yeeeeman]

If they release a new version every freaking minute, it is normal that adoption will be very low.
These days, IT firms have programmed our heads that updates are always a good thing and necessary. Why? What kind of stuff you do on your phone that you need to be very secure? Who cares about our intimate conversations and what will "they" do with them if they steal it because of old Android version?
I am not against updates, but please stop releasing updates every few months. Once a year, or maybe two is enough, other updates (patches) should come directly from Google and OEMs should care only about major releases.

 

[p51d007]

This isn't "Google's" problem per se. Google puts the OS out there, but, with the open source nature, it's up to the manufacturers & carriers to push the updates. That goes AGAINST their business model of selling you a new phone every year or so. But, does the new OS, other than any security holes that are patched, REALLY give you anything new that is a game changer making it a "must have"? Probably not for 90% of users. Most apps that people use, will work just as well, on anything from Jelly Bean 4.3, on up. So, other than having the NEWEST OS, plus any security holes that get plugged, it's really not "important" to have the latest OS. But, humans, being who they are, always want the latest and greatest.
With project treble, rolling out in Oreo 8, and later, perhaps the core OS and security updates will get pushed out faster.

 

[RevD14]

Is this like that satirical article that The Onion post every time there is a shooting?

 

[m-tec]

They can't fix the fragmentation, it's Android's key selling feature!

 

[OutlawCecil]

OnePlus 3T got Oreo over a month ago.

 

[IAMTHESTIG]

Yeah it's too bad Google didn't control the updates to their OS more... but then again there are so many different hardware configurations. It is very similar to Windows, in that there is a huge variety of OS versions out there. But anyone can install the latest Windows on their computer, unlike with Android phones, not anyone can just download the latest OS and install it on their phone.

This is part of the reason I switched to iPhone a year ago, and I'm glad I did. Won't have to deal with that crap anymore...

 

[Andrew Toth]

Maybe that's because GOOGLE hasn't released it to other than their own Pixel phones, and I think, Nexus, and those phones have less than .05% market share. You can't even get it as a beta tester. I tried. Twice. It's like NOT putting a running back into the game, than complaining about his lack of productivity. You can't blame the carriers on this one. It's GOOGLE. Release it to all compatible Android phones, and you might see the numbers you hoped for.

 

[EClyde]

Seeing those cookies always make me cringe. I can't stand the view of anything with excessive sugar in it. Such a poor choice for advertisement!

98% of EVERYTHING has excessive sugar.