In a nutshell: Google's struggles with Android fragmentation are well documented and date back more than a decade. The subject hasn't come up in a while, however, naturally leading some to believe that the issue has gradually resolved itself. It turns out that's not the case.
According to the latest Android distribution figures, Android 17 – the latest version of the mobile OS – is installed on just 0.9% of devices worldwide. Android 16 owns the lion's share of distribution at 25.4%, followed by Android 15 with a 14.7% stake. Android 13, which shipped way back in the summer of 2022, is still installed on 11.8% of devices, while 9.6% of users are clinging to Android 12.
For comparison, around 15% of Apple mobile users are running a version of iOS 27 and nearly half are using a variant of iOS 26, according to StatCounter.
Why the disparity between Android and iOS adoption, you ask? Well, it largely comes down to distribution and who controls what.
With iOS, Apple develops its hardware and software under a single roof. This means Cupertino controls when new updates go out and what devices can get them. Over at Google, when a new version of Android is ready, it gets sent out to device partners that often like to spend additional time applying tweaks in the form of overlays and skins. Customizing the OS is a great way to differentiate your product from others on the market, but also burns the clock.
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