Ten years back, on September 3, 2013, Google revealed Android KitKat, all about making the operating system work better, especially on cheaper smartphones. They wanted to give people using affordable devices a smooth and efficient experience. And guess what? It worked! The new OS not only made things easy for users but also made the best use of limited resources.
Right when KitKat came out, the Nexus 5 hit the market too. It was the first phone to rock this brand-new OS. People loved it for its sleek design and impressive abilities. The Nexus 5 quickly became a top choice for smartphone lovers.
Fast forward to May 2023, the Android world has changed a lot. A recent report on Android versions came out, and what's popular now? Surprisingly It's Android 11, with the code name "Red Velvet Cake." Everyone seems to dig for its cool features and improvements, and it's available all over the place.
But wait, there's a surprise! Even after a whole decade, around 15 million devices are still using Android KitKat. It's unexpected, right? Some folks love sticking to their old devices, or maybe they enjoy the familiar feel of KitKat.
Source: StatCounter Global Stats - Android Version Market Share
However, compared to Android 11's dominance, KitKat's global share is just 0.5%. That means most people have moved on to newer Android versions, which offer better features and security.
Because KitKat's popularity is dropping, Google decided it was time to say goodbye. They recently made an announcement on the Android Developers Blog. Starting from August 2023, KitKat won't get any support in future Google Play services releases.
That's because there are fewer than 1% of devices still using KitKat. It takes a lot of work for Google to keep supporting it with such low numbers.
For people still rocking KitKat devices, there's a small window before Google Play services stop working for them. After August 2023, those devices won't get any updates, and that might mess up how some apps work.
Google has updated the Android version distribution statistics shown in Android Studio to reflect the latest data as of May 30, 2023. Here's how the % of (GMS Android) devices has changed since January 2023 when the stats were last publicly updated.
— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) June 5, 2023
- Android 13: 5.2% - 15%
-… pic.twitter.com/ruaGZhgd6y
After the support is gone, KitKat devices will be stuck at version 23.30.99 of the Play Services APK. Newer apps and services need more recent versions of Play Services to work smoothly. So, those on KitKat might run into problems with compatibility or miss out on some cool features.
It's about time for KitKat users to think about upgrading to enjoy the latest and greatest in mobile tech. KitKat had its time, but now the future belongs to the ever-changing world of Android.
Sources: android-developers.googleblog.com
