A slow start for Android Oreo 8.1

Last October, Google released the developer version of Android Oreo and the OS was officially released on December 6, 2017. As shown in the graph below, the usage rate is still low and only 1.1% of Android users have upgraded their device to Oreo.

This creates the user fragmentation we’ve discussed in other previous posts on our blog where Android users are running 8 different operating systems. Unless you recently purchased an Android phone such as a Pixel or Nexus you won’t have access to this new Android OS.

Android stats bar graph

Source: https://developer.android.com/

What’s new with Oreo 8.1?

This update includes a fully personalized interface. The template colors will adjust depending on your background in order to facilitate easier reading. A search bar has been incorporated into the new settings menu which makes it easier to locate what you’re looking for right away. Android also did some nice work on the user interface with better use of space, colors, and transparency.

Several new features have also been added: the fingerprint reader can definitively block a user who has tried and failed to login too many times; web navigation is more secure; you can check the battery life of your connected objects, and the overall performance is improved.

 

Android 8.0 ‒ the most valuable Android OS?

We know that the newest OS versions are not generating significant usage. We’ve been doing our monthly statistics for several years now and Marshmallow has been the number one operating system for a while. However, research shows that Android 8.0 is definitely the most valuable Android OS. It is one of the biggest steps forward for Google.

One of the main reasons is that for the first time Google used their custom-designed consumer processor: the Visual Core. This high-quality image processing system is only available on the Pixel phones so far, but it will eventually spread to other devices over the next few months and years.

In addition to all the features that we mentioned, Android refined their brand with a more polished design and improved screen management.

Between the low usage rate of new operating systems and the new amazing features, we can expect 2019 to be the year that Android 8.0 will be the leading OS.

 

This year’s operating system

It looks as though the operating system due to release later this year will include support for phones that have a ‘notch’ on the top, similar to the iPhone X. That notch would allow for better cameras and sensors, ultimately meaning better features. This is likely a way to get iPhone users to consider switching over to an Android phone. There could also be improvements to Google Assistant and battery life. But again, only a small number of phones will be expected to receive the update upon release.

 

The user-following of iOS 11 is high

While we said in our December statistics that the conversion to iOS 11 was low, it appears that this month, that rate has increased to 65% of users.

The earlier versions are slowly going to disappear and leave more room for the newest ones. These rates are not quite as impressive as the ones from last year with iOS 10 but it’s still a very nice start for Apple.

 

iOS stats pie chart

Source: https://developer.apple.com/
A Pixel 2XL sitting face up on a white desk, open to the home screenRow of iOS devices in a device lab