Android 11 still isn't on as many phones as Android 10

While we generally see quick uptake in new versions of iOS, it's not the same for Android - case in point, Google has unveiled some new figures on how many people use different versions of Android, and surprisingly, the most popular version is from 2019.

Published by Google's Android Studio platform for app developers, these figures show the breakdown of how many people are currently using each version of Android.

According to the figures, 24.3% of users are on Android 11, the newest version of the operating system that's widely available... but 26.5% are on Android 10, launched in 2019. Then there's 18.2% on Android 9, and the previous versions all have fewer users - though interestingly, it seems 0.2% of users are still on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean from 2012.

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So clearly Android phone users aren't desperate to upgrade their mobiles every year, which is why we've still got users on nearly-decades-old software, and why the newest version of the operating system isn't the most widely used.

It's worth noting that Android 12 isn't included, despite the new Pixel 6 phones using it, which suggests the stats are a bit outdated.

Analysis: a laissez-faire Android update cycle

Stats show that iOS users tend to update their devices very quickly, with the vast majority of users on the newest version. That's certainly not the case for Android users, as these stats show.

That could be down to one of the most popular aspects of Android, which is its ease-of-use - it doesn't nag you to update to the new version all the time, and you're not missing out on key features if you don't upgrade.

The fragmented user base of Android shows that it's okay to upgrade when you want to without the user experience being marred in any kind of way.

Saying that, Google should be raising eyebrows at the fact its newer updates aren't being taken up as enthusiastically as previous updates - it suggests users aren't too keen on the new features of each version.