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Android 17 is on 1% of devices after four months, Android 16 on over 25%
Confirmed
In Short: Google's latest Android distribution numbers, updated as of October 19, reveal that Android 17 is on only 1% of active Android devices, despite being available for four months.
In contrast, Android 16 has seen a significant uptick, now making up over 25% of devices. This growth is particularly impressive given that older versions of Android typically remain more widely used at this stage.
Android 11 still holds over 10% of devices, while Android 12 has dropped to 9.6%. Google has also dropped Android 5 (Lollipop) from its data, with Android 5.1 now making up just 0.2% of active devices.
The slow adoption of Android 17 is attributed to major manufacturers like Samsung, which have only recently begun rolling out updates for the new version.
Samsung's regional schedule indicates that the Android 17-based One UI 9 update will roll out in Japan in October and November, with a wider global rollout expected to follow.
Adobe has released its Premiere mobile video-editing app on Android, offering it free to users with at least 5GB of RAM and running Android 13 or later.
Diksha Kuhar, director of product marketing for Premiere mobile at Adobe, said, "We're excited to share that Adobe Premiere on mobile is now available on Android for free."
The app is designed to cater to India's growing mobile-first creators, with 95% of Indian creators already using smartphones as their primary tool.
Premiere mobile on Android joins the app's existing availability on iOS, putting professional-quality video editing tools into the hands of millions of creators.
While Android 17 adoption remains low, the continued growth of Android 16 suggests that users are still favoring the previous version.
The distribution numbers highlight the ongoing challenges in getting users to upgrade to the latest Android version, despite the improvements and features it offers.
What this adds
The slow adoption of Android 17 is likely due to the delayed updates from major manufacturers like Samsung.
Adobe's decision to release Premiere mobile on Android may help drive adoption of newer Android versions among creators.
What's confirmed
- In contrast, Android 16 has seen a significant uptick, now making up over 25% of devices. This growth is particularly impressive given that older versions of Android typically remain more widely used at this stage.
- Android 11 still holds over 10% of devices, while Android 12 has dropped to 9.6%. Google has also dropped Android 5 (Lollipop) from its data, with Android 5.1 now making up just 0.2% of active devices.
- The slow adoption of Android 17 is attributed to major manufacturers like Samsung, which have only recently begun rolling out updates for the new version.
- Samsung's regional schedule indicates that the Android 17-based One UI 9 update will roll out in Japan in October and November, with a wider global rollout expected to follow.
- Adobe has released its Premiere mobile video-editing app on Android, offering it free to users with at least 5GB of RAM and running Android 13 or later.
- The app is designed to cater to India's growing mobile-first creators, with 95% of Indian creators already using smartphones as their primary tool.
- Premiere mobile on Android joins the app's existing availability on iOS, putting professional-quality video editing tools into the hands of millions of creators.
- While Android 17 adoption remains low, the continued growth of Android 16 suggests that users are still favoring the previous version.
- The distribution numbers highlight the ongoing challenges in getting users to upgrade to the latest Android version, despite the improvements and features it offers.
What's still developing
- The timing here requires context, as major players like Samsung have only started widely rolling out their Android 17 updates in the past few weeks and are very unlikely to be included in this 1%.
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