Availability of the Galaxy S8 and LG G6 in global markets coupled with the rollout of the Nougat update to older devices has contributed to the largest monthly gain for Android 7.0. Google's April distribution numbers show that Nougat is now installed on 7.1% of all Android devices, an increase of 2.2% from a month prior.
Specifically, Android 7.0 is now installed on 6.6% of devices — up from 4.5% in March, whereas Android 7.1 is now on 0.5% of active devices, a minor increase of 0.1%. Marshmallow is holding steady at 31.2%, as with a 32% share, Lollipop is the most widely-used version of Android globally, albeit by a slender margin.
KitKat's share declined from 20% to 18.8%, and Jelly Bean — versions 4.1 to 4.3 — lost a percentage point and is now at 9.1%. Ice Cream Sandwich also saw a minor decline to 0.8%. Oddly enough, Gingerbread gained a tenth of a percentage point, and now has a 1.0% share.
With affordable Nougat-based devices like the Moto G5 Plus gaining momentum and older phones finally receiving the update, Android 7.0 should see a similar uptick in the coming months.
