Android's 2012 Tastes Like Gingerbread

Whenever Apple releases a new iOS version, most who own an iPhone have the benefit of being able to upgrade. It's one of the biggest advantages of going Apple, while the opposite can sometimes be said about Android. Would you believe that despite having been released last October, Ice Cream Sandwich still isn't the dominant Android version?

It gets even worse. The most popular Android version during all of 2012 is Gingerbread, also known as 2.3, released in December 2010. To say this is a bit disheartening as an Android fan isn't a stretch. While I sit here waiting impatiently for a Jelly Bean update to my gear, most are forced to stick with an OS, that quite honestly, began to show its age long ago.

Realistically, the fact that ICS hasn't made huge headway into the Android market isn't that surprising. As BGR reports, ICS' market penetration four months after release was a mere 1%. 1%! Granted, the situation has vastly improved since then; ICS is currently installed on 21% of active devices. By comparison, Gingerbread can be found on 58%. It seems like Gingerbread is the Windows XP of the mobile space.

Of course, ICS isn't the most up-to-date Android version; Jelly Bean is. While more of an evolutionary upgrade than a revolutionary one, it finds itself installed to 1% of active devices - perfectly mimicking the ICS launch (so far).

The real question is whether or not Gingerbread's dominance is actually an issue. With Apple conducting its business so much differently than everyone else, it could be considered unfair to directly compare Android's OS rollouts to Apple's. Plus, with Android phones finding their way into the hands of those who don't want to spend too much money, and certainly don't care to upgrade as often as the average Apple user, we could find Gingerbread continuing to lead the pack for a good chunk of 2013 as well.