Ice Cream Sandwich Is Now On 1 In 10 Android Devices

After a slow start, one in ten Android devices now run version 4.0 of Google’s mobile operating system, Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS).

The figure is based on the devices which have accessed Google’s recently rebranded app store, Google Play, in the last 14 days.

Sweet news

In the two weeks leading up to 2 July, 10.9 percent of devices were running ICS, of which 10.7 percent were running versions 4.0.3 or 4.0.4 and 0.2 percent were running versions 4.0 or 4.0.1. Penetration of ICS has risen in recent months and the latest increases can most likely be attributed to the release of marquee smartphones running the software such as the Samsung Galaxy SIII and HTC One X.

Gingerbread remains the most popular version of the software, commanding a 64 percent share, while version 2.2 Froyo is still running on 17.3 percent of devices. Eclair is still used by 4.7 of users, while older iterations Donut and Cupcake have a 0.5 percent and 0.2 percent share respectively. Honeycomb versions 3.1 and 3.2 are used by just 2.4 percent of Android owners.

ICS debuted last November on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus with the intention of unifying the smartphone-focused Gingerbread and tablet-oriented Honeycomb branches of the platform. It includes improved camera controls, multitasking, data counters, Near Field Communication (NFC) support, a redesigned interface and new security features.

Ice Cream Sandwich headache

A number of manufacturers have pledged to upgrade their devices to the software, but the rollout has not been as swift as Google might have hoped. Sony announced in April that it was going to start upgrading its 2011 range of Xperia smartphones to the software, but warned that those who want a more stable experience should stick with Gingerbread due to ICS’ increased power and memory demands.

Google unveiled the newest alphabetical confectionery-themed version of Android last week, 4.1 Jelly Bean, which will run on its new flagship tablet, the Google Nexus 7.

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