Google recently updated its Android version distribution chart. According to statistics, as of December 1, 2025, the latest version of Android 16 accounts for only 7.5% of active devices worldwide. While this figure is not unexpected in the Android ecosystem, compared to the update speed of iOS, Android's fragmentation remains a long-standing problem.
Android 15 reigns supreme, but older systems still possess remarkable resilience.
Although this data was released at the end of January 2026, the sampling time was in early December last year. Therefore, the actual number should be higher now after the Christmas holiday at the end of the year and the new product launch wave at the beginning of the year.
The current Android version market share rankings are as follows:
• Android 15:With a share of 19.3%, it firmly holds the top spot and has become the most used version.
• Android 14:It accounted for 17.2%, closely following behind.
• Android 13:It accounts for 13.9%.
As for the latest Android 16, its current market share is 7.5%, ranking only seventh. Surprisingly, it ranks even lower than Android 12, Android 11, and even Android 10. This shows that a large proportion of Android devices worldwide (especially mid-range or older models) are still using operating system versions that are 3 years old or even older, and cannot be upgraded.
The Original Sin of Ecosystems: The Cost of Openness
While the 7.5% figure may seem dismal at first glance, especially compared to Apple's iOS which typically achieves an upgrade rate of 70-80% within a few months, this figure is understandable. However, considering Android's extremely open ecosystem, encompassing dozens of mobile phone brands such as Samsung, Xiaomi, OPPO, and vivo, and thousands of devices with different hardware specifications, and the need for each manufacturer to optimize and test their own UI (such as One UI and HyperOS), coupled with the verification processes of telecom operators, operating system update pushes often experience delays of several months.
Analysis of viewpoints
Last year, to coincide with the release of its new Pixel flagship phone, Google deliberately moved the launch date of Android 16 to June (usually August to October). Theoretically, this extra few months of buffer time should give third-party manufacturers (OEMs) more time to push out updates before the end of the year.
However, judging from the data of only 7.5% in December, apart from major manufacturers such as Samsung that followed up relatively quickly, other manufacturers do not seem to have significantly accelerated their momentum in adapting to the new system.
And withProject MainlineWith the implementation of Google Play Store, most of the core functions of the Android system (such as Google Play services and security patches) can now be updated independently through the Google Play Store. Users can obtain most of the new features and security guarantees even if they are still using the old operating system.
Therefore, market share anxiety based solely on "operating system version number" may not be as important as it used to be in 2026.
