Where Google lags Apple badly

Google has long lagged behind Apple in user adoption of the latest version of its OS. Apple controls their software and hardware and, more importantly, the mechanism used to push out updates to its users. Google controls their software, but their manufacturers control the hardware and the push of updates. While Apple takes great pains to support older models, easing them out of compatibility over time, Android phones tend to get abandoned by manufacturers, sometimes simply because those manufacturers change business models or cease operations altogether.

According to this Bloomberg article:

A Dutch consumer group sued Samsung Electronics Co., the largest Android phone maker, in January for neglecting to update many devices. In the U.S., the Federal Communications Commission sent a letter to carriers, manufacturers, Apple and Google asking how they can ensure faster updates.

From this FCC press release:

There have recently been a growing number of vulnerabilities associated with mobile operating systems that threaten the security and integrity of a user’s device, including “Stagefright” in the Android operating system, which may affect almost 1 billion Android devices globally.

Consumers may be left unprotected, for long periods of time or even indefinitely, by any delays in patching vulnerabilities once they are discovered. To date, operating system providers, original equipment manufacturers, and mobile service providers have responded to address vulnerabilities as they arise. There are, however, significant delays in delivering patches to actual devices—and that older devices may never be patched.

To get a sense of the true extent of this “Android update lag” problem, check out this chart, which shows the current state of Google and iOS adoption rates.

  • Google’s latest, Marshmallow: 7.5%
  • iOS 9: 84%

Those are remarkable numbers. And a true stumbling block for Google.