When it comes to features, Android is next to nothing like iOS. Google’s operating system even has advantages over Apple’s. Indeed, being an open system, Android allows you to install all the applications you want, even those that are not on the official store, the Play Store.
However, Android has a major handicap: fragmentation. Two weeks ago, official data from Google showed that a year after its launch, Android 11 was still not the most widely used version of the operating system. And Android 12 wasn’t even on those stats yet.
So, to take advantage of all the latest new features of the operating system, most Android users will have to wait a long time. And some will even have to buy a new smartphone since their devices will never be updated to Android 12.
iOS 15 is already on nearly 60% of iPhones in use
The situation is completely different at Apple. Indeed, in addition to the fact that the Cupertino company supports its iPhone longer (for example, iOS 15 can be installed on the iPhone 6S released in September 2015), it also deploys updates very quickly.
In an article published this week, Sir MacRumours relays data from MixPanel on the distribution of versions of iOS. As of December 10, according to these data, iOS 15 is already installed on 58.93% of iPhones. iOS 14 has a 36.06% share and older versions have a 5.01% share.
Android: signs of improvement
If Apple can roll out updates so quickly, it’s because the Cupertino company has full control. Indeed, on an iPhone, the software, the hardware, as well as the chip are offered by the same company.
On Android, the rollout of an update involves Google, manufacturers of components for smartphones, manufacturers of smartphones, as well as operators. This makes the process complex and slow.
But the good news is that in recent years, Google has continued to announce new initiatives to reduce the fragmentation of its operating system. For example, with the Trebble architecture, the firm was able to reduce the interdependence between the different actors involved in updating a smartphone. Google has also worked with Qualcomm, the maker of the Snapdragon chips, to make updates roll out faster.
And currently, these efforts are starting to pay off, since the update to Android 12 should, for example, arrive more quickly among users of compatible Samsung smartphones. Google, on the other hand, is able to roll out updates to its Pixel smartphones as quickly as Apple, since it has the same level of control over hardware and software.
On the other hand, more and more manufacturers are committing to support their Android smartphones for longer. The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro (among the best smartphones of 2021) for example, will receive updates to new versions of Android until October 2024. And these devices will receive security updates until October 2026.
Source: hitechwiki