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Well, if you remove all iOS versions with <3.42% penetration, then you should remove the same from the Android table and use 2 decimals for Android like for iOS

Well, if you remove all iOS versions with <3.42% penetration, then you should remove the same from the Android table and use 2 decimals for Android like for iOS. https://i.imgur.com/0Ar0ta5.png https://i.imgur.com/0Ar0ta5.png My point being: there ARE other iOS versions in use. I have a backup working iPhone 4 turned on right now. It won't upgrade beyond iOS 5 (I think it's iOS 5). But somehow the author ignores all those 0.1% iOS versions, yet shows them for Android (with 4 decimals no less).

stesch 7y ago
By the way: iPhone 4 supports iOS 7.1.2, released 4 years after the iPhone 4.
- Wowfunhappy 7y ago
  I'm not sure why the GP said his iPhone 4 won't upgrade past iOS 5, but it's worth noting: while an iPhone 4 can be upgraded to iOS 7, actually doing so is a bad idea unless you want your phone to run slow as molasses. You'll be much better off on iOS 6 or 5. (I suppose there may be a security argument for upgrading as far as possible, but it's not like iOS 7 is up-to-date either. If you're concerned about security, you shouldn't be using an iPhone 4.)
  - rarestblog 7y ago
    Correct. It won't upgrade past 7.1.2 not 5. My mistake.
  - alkonaut 7y ago
    > You'll be much better off on iOS 6 or 5. Sure. But if you are making an app for say a government service that has as a requirement to reach 98% of mobile users, and you reach the goal if you count compatible devices (not people who choise not to upgrade) then it helps.
- rarestblog 7y ago
  Correct, sorry, didn't bother to look at the time. It is 7.1.2. The point still stands, it's old and I'm probably in 0.1% that the article left out in iOS markets.
- Karellen 7y ago
  Wouldn't it be better to say that iOS 7.1.2 supports the iPhone 4?
kevin_thibedeau 7y ago
The other point is that most Apple store apps become uninstallable on anything older than three iOS versions.
- yegle 7y ago
  This. I'm happily using JuiceSSH in Android Q beta even though it was last updated in 2017 and was targeting Android L. Android maintained reasonably good backward compatibility just like Windows did. So many iOS app developers would use new SDK as soon as newer iOS is out, and abandon existing users who chose to use old iOS. Worse, those app developers would choose to drop old version, release a new version that requires you to purchase again.
  - felipemnoa 7y ago
    >>Worse, those app developers would choose to drop old version, release a new version that requires you to purchase again. To be fair, one is not entitled to free upgrades forever.
- scarface74 7y ago
  If apps ever had a version that worked as of iOS 5, you can still download “the last compatible version”. I’ve downloaded older streaming apps recently on a first generation iPad running iOS 5. Any iPhone released since 2013 - with the exception of the 5C can run the latest OS.
gshdg 7y ago
What percentage of the iPhone market can you reach by supporting only versions with >2% penetration? What percentage of the Android market?
- ac29 7y ago
  According to the linked article, dropping Android versions with <2% penetration you'd reach about 98% of the market.
  - deleted 7y ago
    [deleted]
stevehb 7y ago
That's a good point. The list for Android fragmentation even includes 2.0 Eclair, which has 0% across the whole row!
ehsankia 7y ago
Also, if you want a fair comparison, compare fragmentation between iPhone's and Pixel phones. Yes, I realize that as a developer, fragmentation can be more of a pain on Android, but comparing it directly to iOS is comparing Apples to oranges.
- saagarjha 7y ago
  Very few people buy Pixel phones.
  - ehsankia 7y ago
    That's beside the point, as we are talking about fragmentation percentages. The point is, Apple has full control over their hardware, so obviously they will have less fragmentation. To have a fair comparison, we should compare to Pixel where Google has full control over.
    - steve_adams_86 7y ago
      That's not really fair still because it's about OS fragmentation, not hardware. Whether Google or Apple has full control is beside the point, isn't it?

stesch 7y ago

By the way: iPhone 4 supports iOS 7.1.2, released 4 years after the iPhone 4.

Wowfunhappy 7y ago
I'm not sure why the GP said his iPhone 4 won't upgrade past iOS 5, but it's worth noting: while an iPhone 4 can be upgraded to iOS 7, actually doing so is a bad idea unless you want your phone to run slow as molasses. You'll be much better off on iOS 6 or 5. (I suppose there may be a security argument for upgrading as far as possible, but it's not like iOS 7 is up-to-date either. If you're concerned about security, you shouldn't be using an iPhone 4.)
- rarestblog 7y ago
  Correct. It won't upgrade past 7.1.2 not 5. My mistake.
- alkonaut 7y ago
  > You'll be much better off on iOS 6 or 5. Sure. But if you are making an app for say a government service that has as a requirement to reach 98% of mobile users, and you reach the goal if you count compatible devices (not people who choise not to upgrade) then it helps.
rarestblog 7y ago
Correct, sorry, didn't bother to look at the time. It is 7.1.2. The point still stands, it's old and I'm probably in 0.1% that the article left out in iOS markets.
Karellen 7y ago
Wouldn't it be better to say that iOS 7.1.2 supports the iPhone 4?

kevin_thibedeau 7y ago

The other point is that most Apple store apps become uninstallable on anything older than three iOS versions.

yegle 7y ago
This. I'm happily using JuiceSSH in Android Q beta even though it was last updated in 2017 and was targeting Android L. Android maintained reasonably good backward compatibility just like Windows did. So many iOS app developers would use new SDK as soon as newer iOS is out, and abandon existing users who chose to use old iOS. Worse, those app developers would choose to drop old version, release a new version that requires you to purchase again.
- felipemnoa 7y ago
  >>Worse, those app developers would choose to drop old version, release a new version that requires you to purchase again. To be fair, one is not entitled to free upgrades forever.
scarface74 7y ago
If apps ever had a version that worked as of iOS 5, you can still download “the last compatible version”. I’ve downloaded older streaming apps recently on a first generation iPad running iOS 5. Any iPhone released since 2013 - with the exception of the 5C can run the latest OS.

gshdg 7y ago

What percentage of the iPhone market can you reach by supporting only versions with >2% penetration? What percentage of the Android market?

ac29 7y ago
According to the linked article, dropping Android versions with <2% penetration you'd reach about 98% of the market.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]

stevehb 7y ago

That's a good point. The list for Android fragmentation even includes 2.0 Eclair, which has 0% across the whole row!

ehsankia 7y ago

Also, if you want a fair comparison, compare fragmentation between iPhone's and Pixel phones. Yes, I realize that as a developer, fragmentation can be more of a pain on Android, but comparing it directly to iOS is comparing Apples to oranges.

saagarjha 7y ago
Very few people buy Pixel phones.
- ehsankia 7y ago
  That's beside the point, as we are talking about fragmentation percentages. The point is, Apple has full control over their hardware, so obviously they will have less fragmentation. To have a fair comparison, we should compare to Pixel where Google has full control over.
  - steve_adams_86 7y ago
    That's not really fair still because it's about OS fragmentation, not hardware. Whether Google or Apple has full control is beside the point, isn't it?