
iOS Version Stats - WoodenChair
https://david-smith.org/iosversionstats/
======
bigiain
I was amused to notice last week that Android 8 - which has been "available"
(for not very large values of "available") since Aug 21, is showing less than
0.1% market share (on the Android dev dashboard), while iOS 11 which doesn't
come out for another few days was already showing 0.2% of all iOS devices
already...

~~~
nextweek2
The reason is a staged rollout, they seem to start slow (probably to catch
early issues then ramp up).

I was only offered the 8.0 on my Nexus 5X last Thursday. Whilst the release
might have been a month earlier I think the gradual rollout is to help
frontline help desks and App developers.

~~~
WillKirkby
Sure, Google run staggered rollouts for the Nexus/Pixel line, but all the
other OEMs (Samsung, OnePlus, etc) take months to release their customized OS
versions, if they ever do.

In addition, Android devices often have very short OS update support
lifecycles (2 years seems to be common), while iOS 11 looks to be supporting
as far back as the iPhone 5S (2013)

~~~
muninn_
Why do they do staged rollouts instead of just releasing the OS for all ala
iOS?

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pc86
iOS rollouts are staged.

~~~
Uehreka
If by staged you mean that some people download the beta a couple months
before the release date then yes. But on the release date iOS is released to
all consumers with supported devices.

~~~
fullsailor
iOS updates are available for everyone at the same time, but Apple does
stagger the update notifications. So users that know an update is available
can go to Settings and find it immediately, but notifications go out in stages
after the release.

~~~
Uehreka
Sure, but for the purposes of this discussion I think it's enough to say that
Apple releases it all at once. Apple stages their updates over the course of
hours, maybe a few days tops. The Android+Custom Skin sort of staging ends up
spacing things out over months.

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samcheng
93% of iPhones are on the latest major OS version.

Compare this with the mess that is Android versioning.

There is a sizable cohort all the way back to 4.4, which significantly
complicates app development and testing.

[https://fossbytes.com/most-popular-android-versions-
always-u...](https://fossbytes.com/most-popular-android-versions-always-
updated/)

~~~
mrmondo
When you’re managing a decent sized wireless network all the out of date
Android devices are a right pain in the ass, so often I find devices that
aren’t just out of date (usually Samsung’s) but also devices trying to connect
to dodgy BitTorrent and P2P networks - furthermore when I speak to the user(s)
involved 99% of the time they genuinely didn’t know their device is running
dodgy software such as malware with P2P connections OR that it’s a potential
security issue that they haven’t or often can update their OS. Most of the
time the devices look quite modern too, it’s not like its people running
really old devices.

~~~
dx034
Why P2P? Are they used as seedboxes? Isn't storage usually quite limited on
older androids? Using them for P2P sounds unsual. Or is it just used to spread
malware?

~~~
cybrjoe
Isn't Popcorn Time using Bittorrent? I'm guessing it's apps not participating
nicely in P2P networks.

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peterburkimsher
Of iPhone 4S users, 85% have upgraded to the latest version available for the
platform, iOS 9. There are 9% still using iOS 6. That's the largest percentage
of users running a version that is not the latest. I'm one of them.

My reason for not updating is because I use iTunes 10.6.3, which has USB sync
for contacts & calendars, and even PowerPC. I was using iOS 5.1.1 for a long
time, until a broken Cydia package forced me to restore, and then I had to
downgrade using OdysseusOTA.

Software rot is a daily problem. LINE is discontinuing support this week. It's
like the software is forcing me to upgrade my hardware.

The day will come when my phone will break. Unless Apple dramatically changes
course and brings back their ecosystem, that will probably be the day when I
leave iOS altogether.

~~~
charlesdm
I have an (old?) iPad 2 still running iOS6. I don't use it a lot anymore,
because updating generally slows down the device and it already is pretty
slow.

However, Safari can't even load newspaper sites anymore, because Webkit is out
of date so much. Hurray! Time to buy a new one I guess?

~~~
frik
I still have a iPad 2 with iOS6. Its battery lasts days, with the same
duration for 6 years. All the old apps work fine.

Only some ad-ladden websites crash the browser from time to time - but the
same is true for all 512MB memory devices incl Android phones/tablets.

The big mistake that many iPad 2-4 and iPad Mini 1 owners made was to upgrade
to iOS7 (or newer) - well than it's game over, the UI speed degenerated a lot,
and I know of no one of those early iOS7 upgraders that are still on their old
device, many regretted "bricking" their device and bought a new device to
replace the laggy thing.

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maxpert
That's what makes me happy for iOS. As a developer I don't have to think more
than 1 major version back and I am covered! Android is so much fragmented,
teams have debates over supporting 4.4+ or 5+.

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muxxa
StatCounter have started to track iOS versions since June:
[https://gs.statcounter.com/os-version-market-
share/ios/mobil...](https://gs.statcounter.com/os-version-market-
share/ios/mobile-tablet/worldwide)

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beached_whale
There were a lot of ipad 2's sold that cannot upgrade beyond 9.x. It's a shame
there is no way to get an upgraded web browsing component onto them to make
them safer.

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nagVenkat
Just a hypothetical. Can Google say to all the phone manufacturers that you
can only use play store services if you are not going to make any
customizations and hence ensuring that the updates are not in the phone
manufacturer's hands?

~~~
kristofferR
You're sort of describing Project Treble, which was just introduced in Android
Oreo: [https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/09/android-8-0-oreo-
tho...](https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/09/android-8-0-oreo-thoroughly-
reviewed/2/)

~~~
pjmlp
Not really, because OEMs are still free to do their own customizations and
they are the ones responsible for pushing updates.

[http://androidbackstage.blogspot.de/2017/08/episode-75-proje...](http://androidbackstage.blogspot.de/2017/08/episode-75-project-
treble-for-hal-of-it.html)

Guess how many will push updates, even with Treble enabled devices?

~~~
nindalf
More than before. Sure, some manufacturers will prefer to update only their
flagships, but that won't be a problem for long. Treble doesn't force OEMs to
update - it simply makes updating take less time and resources of the OEM. Now
that its cheap, some OEMs have the capability to update their entire stable of
devices, incentivizing the other OEMs to follow suit. Of course, it'll take
some time for this to materialize, but in the meanwhile, installing ROMs
becomes much easier.

~~~
pjmlp
For me that is just plain wishful thinking until Google actually forces OEMs
to update, or adopts the Microsoft way and pushes the updates itself.

Otherwise this will be yet another failed attempt.

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falsedan
Anyone else think that population count graphs would be more illuminating than
percentage?

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Bromskloss
I hold off upgrading for fear of missing a jailbreak again.

~~~
MBCook
Is there much benefit in jailbreaking these days besides the ability to run
pirated apps?

I know people used to do it to get better notification mechanisms or things
like control center but those are now built into the OS so the need isn’t as
big.

~~~
BoorishBears
I don't have a jailbreak but I wish I did for stuff like unlocked CarPlay
mirroring (would let me use Waze), ability to hide apps I don't ever use, etc.

I wish there was something like WebOS's Preware for non-jailbroken phones

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VeejayRampay
Funny how you always hear about Android fragmentation (hard to avoid with so
many vendors), but iOS is not exactly much better in the end for a company
that controls everything from the hardware to the OS.

~~~
samcheng
Looking at the numbers, iOS is significantly better in reducing version
fragmentation. Like you said, it's much easier to do this when you don't have
dozens of OEMs in the way.

~~~
xbmcuser
Till iOS 11 you needed to update OS to update system apps it was not so in
Android so despite all the talks of fragmentation most people are still able
to update a lot of the stuff in Android without and actual an OS update.

~~~
daenney
You're conveniently forgetting all kinds of hardware driver issues and bugs
and fixes in newer kernels that Android users will never get. Even if AOSP and
Google update, the vast majority of devices don't run AOSP nor are Nexus/Pixel
devices. And not all (security) issues can be fixed without an OS update
either.

Not having to update your OS is not necessarily a virtue. Considering Apple
provides updates for a good 5 years, I'd hardly consider it a problem to have
to update every now and then.

~~~
hesarenu
I hear this security issue all the time. But what kind of issues do the actual
end users face because of it? Is it something not noticeable to the end-user?
I have many relatives using old versions of android even i gave a 2.3version
android to a cousin. But have not heard any security related issues. Comparing
it against windows, virus related problems were many. I have known people in
India who normally don't buy software buy anti-virus software.

~~~
MBCook
How about the recent Bluetooth vulnerability BlueBorne that allows remote
takeover of devices without any user interaction?

That’s a kernel level issue. A Play Store package update won’t fix it.

~~~
hesarenu
One of the relatives did get a message from Playstore to disable the bluetooth
service.

~~~
MBCook
So they can be vulnerable or slightly cripple their device until the patch
(which I’d be willing to bet a huge number of devices never get) comes.

That’s not exactly a great spot for a user to be in.

~~~
hesarenu
From the people i know nobody keeps their bluettoh devises on for extended
period of times. Its used usually to transfer images/videos. But it will be a
hassle though.

What else are there which would affect users very hard?

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MBCook
It doesn’t matter if your connected to a device, simply having the radio on is
all you need to be compromised. It’s a very serious vulnerability.

~~~
hesarenu
You mean Bluetooth on or any devices which has Bluetooth?

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MBCook
If Bluetooth is on, and the kernel isn’t patched, the device is vulnerable.

Doesn’t matter if Bluetooth is connected to something. Doesn’t matter if
someone tricks you into connecting to a specific evil device.

Is Bluetooth enabled? You’re vulnerable.

It’s _BAD_.

[https://arstechnica.com/information-
technology/2017/09/bluet...](https://arstechnica.com/information-
technology/2017/09/bluetooth-bugs-open-billions-of-devices-to-attacks-no-
clicking-required/)

~~~
hesarenu
Ok. If Bluetooth is off it's safe. Thanks for the info.

