Android 17 adoption is very low

Less than 1% of active Android devices are running Android 17, according to recent data from heise.de via Android Studio, as reported by Android Authority. This figure is particularly low considering the operating system was released in June 2026.

Android 14 update is still pending for many users

Approximately 40% of Android users have not yet updated to Android 14, highlighting a significant delay in software upgrades across the Android ecosystem. This means that a large portion of users are still running older versions of the operating system.

Android 16 is the most used version

Android 16 is currently the most widely used version of the Android operating system, with 25.4% of active Android devices running it. However, the slow adoption of newer versions like Android 17 shows that users are hesitant to update their devices.

Many users are still on older versions

The data reveals that the majority of Android users are on versions that are several years old. Android 14 is the second most used version with 15%, while Android 15 follows closely with 14.7%. Older versions such as Android 13 and Android 11 are still used by 11.8% and 10.1% of users, respectively.

Android updates are slower than iOS updates

Android updates generally lag behind those of iOS due to the fragmented nature of the Android ecosystem. Unlike Apple, which controls both the hardware and software of its devices, Android updates must be adapted and deployed by multiple manufacturers, leading to slower adoption rates.

Updating your Android device is recommended

Despite the slow adoption, it is recommended that users update their Android devices to the latest available software version. Updates often include new features, improved performance, and enhanced security, which help maintain the overall health and functionality of the device.