Google has released figures showing that most Android handsets still run 2.3 Gingerbread but Jelly Bean continue to grow. The distribution of all other versions decreased since last month

iPhone and Windows Phone users tend to highlight the fact that there are still older version of Android available and that this is a problem for Android users. Android fragmentation is a search query that returns 1.940.000 results on Google Search. For most users, this is not a problem. For developers, this could be a problem. For each new version of the operating system, Google has added services that do not exist in older versions. A developer needs to decide if he want to use any of the new API's (services) but then exclude older handsets from running the app.

The Gingerbread version has the largest user group with 44% of the total devices that accessed Google Play within a 14-day period ending in the beginning of March 2013. There has only been a slight change since last month. Older versions such as Froyo 2.2, Eclair 2.0-2.1 and Donut 1.6 has a user base of 9.7%. The share of Gingerbread 2.3 handsets is constantly decreasing. Jelly Bean 4.2 is the only versions with an increased user base since last month. Jelly Bean increased from 13.6% in February to 16.5% in March. Most high-end handsets available today has Ice Cream Sandwich installed. Jelly Bean will soon be the most installed version on high-end and flagship models. Most of the new handsets announced at Mobile World Congress last month will be shipped with Jelly Bean 4.1/4.2. Ice Cream Sandwich is still being installed on most entry-level devices. Keep in mind that these numbers will change when smartphone vendors releases an updated OS version for their smartphones.