Ice Cream Sandwich Release Date: Gingerbread Most Popular Android OS
Android Developers’ Statistics Blog has discovered that Android 2.3 Gingerbread is the most popular operating system of all the Android versions released.
The OS runs on 44 percent of the Android powered handsets on the market today, according to Android Developers.
Released in December 2010, the OS introduced a number of updates to Android, including a new user interface design, updated copy and paste, WebM video compression support, NFC support, various camera updates and virtual keyboard shortcuts.
The Google Nexus S was the first smartphone to power Gingerbread, however, a number of updates have been released for the OS.
The Android 2.3.3 to Android 2.3.7 updates encompass the 44 percent of popular Android versions. The Android 2.3.7 update implemented Google Wallet support for Nexus S 4G.
After Gingerbread, Android 2.2 is the most used Android platform with 40 percent.
Android 2.1 Eclair makes up 10 percent of the Android market while 1.5 Cupcake and 1.6 Donut together make up 2.3 percent.
The tablet-based OS Android 3.0 Honeycomb makes up 2 percent of the market.
The latest OS, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, was unveiled on Oct. 19 and is expected to release on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus smartphone before the end of the year.
Several other smartphones, including the Nexus S, the Samsung Galaxy S2, HTC Rezound and Motorola Droid Bionic and Droid Razr, are expected to receive Ice Cream Sandwich updates soon after the initial release.
Ice Cream Sandwich is a dual OS for both smartphones and tablets. The Motorola Xoom and Xoom 2 tablets, as well as the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime and the Padfone phone-tablet, are expected to upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich.