Over Half Of Android Devices Are Running 4-Year-Old Versions, While 90% Of iPhones Run At Least iOS 16

Over half of Android devices currently in use run on at least a four-year-old version of Android, while nearly 90% of iPhones are already on at least iOS 16, which was rolled out last year.

What Happened: Alphabet Inc.’s GOOG GOOGL Google reported updated Android version distribution numbers, showing the one-year-old Android 13 topping the charts with an install base of 22.4%.

However, that’s not the biggest takeaway – it’s the fact that older Android versions are still extremely popular, either because users don’t get those Android OS updates on time or they have old devices that are no longer supported.

See Also: Apple Kept Comparing The M1 Chip With M3, But Should You Upgrade From M1 Mac To An M3 Mac?

According to Google’s numbers, over half of the active Android devices around the world are on Android versions that are as old as four years.

The second-most popular Android version is Android 11, launched in 2021. It is followed by Android 10, launched in 2019, with Android 12 coming in at the fourth position.

Together, these Android versions are running on over 53% of active Android devices worldwide.

In stark contrast, nearly 90% of Apple Inc.'s AAPL iPhones currently in use have either iOS 17 or the one-year-old iOS 16 update, according to data from analytics company Mixpanel.

Android Version	Share	iOS Version	Share
Android 13	22.4%	iOS 16	58.5%
Android 11	21.6%	iOS 17	29.9%
Android 10	16.1%
Android 12	15.8%

Why It Matters: The enduring popularity of older Android versions and the surprising lag of Android 12 has significant implications.

They suggest that users may choose consistency and familiarity over newer features and updates or that their device makers are not rolling out Android OS updates.

The recently launched Android 14 update does not even register in the list, whereas iOS 17 is already on nearly 30% of the iPhones in use.

Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by following this link.

Read Next: Resident Evil Village Lands On iPhones And iPads, Offers PC-Like Graphics With Sustained Performance