Keeping up to date, Apteligent’s new report gives a fresh take on Android ecosystem data

By Emma Rosser, writer at Publicize.

In the digital age, insightful data for developers has become as important as creating the next big app or innovative streaming platform. Without a clear understanding of market shifts and user trends, a developer will find it hard to evolve a product—effectively consigning it to the charts populated by one hit wonders. But drowning in market-generated information or subscribing purely to data produced by industry-leading companies can be as detrimental as not having any data at all.

This is clearly evident in Apteligent’s latest monthly data report, which, in celebration of Google’s 2016 IO conference, delves deep into Android’s ecosystem global trends and data.

Focusing on only three Android OS versions

In various industry reports the Android operating system’s (OS) update process has been criticized for its lengthy approval time—needing coordination between Google, individual carriers, and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). This causes delays for users depending on their device, leaving many stranded with older OS versions. For developers, this apparent fragmentation means having to produce and test apps for a kaleidoscope of different OS versions, greatly increasing costs and time to market.

While Google’s own figures support the notion of fragmentation by showing that Lollipop (35.6%), KitKat (32.5%), Jelly Bean (20.1%), and Marshmallow (7.5%) are the most installed Android OS versions, Apteligent’s report only identified three versions that truly matter.

According to the report, Lollipop (48.2%) KitKat (24.9%), and Marshmallow (19.4%) are actually the most widely used Android OS versions. This insight into the actual usage worldwide can translate into actionable data for a developer aiming to launch a new app or service that can be successfully installed by the target audience.

But where does the discrepancy come from? Unlike Google, which only gathers information for phones running Google Play, Apteligent has sourced its data from worldwide usage of the individual operating systems.

“They [Google] calculate the figures based on unique visits to Google Play over the course of a week. This excludes data from China and other regions or derivations of Android without Google Play Services,” explained Apteligent CSO Andrew Levy.

For Apteligent and Levy, analyzing the usage is a far more meaningful metric for app owners when they look to make investment decisions for specific platforms.

The analysis reins in Android fragmentation views and places it closer to Apple’s iOS, highlighted by Apteligent to have only two main operating systems, iOS 8 and iOS 9, which make up 97% of all iOS traffic.

A growing TV market

As entertainment consumption shifts from traditional television to on-demand services and set-top boxes, Google has looked to expand its footprint by revamping its own TV platform. Although Google’s TV market potential is commonly seen as lagging behind powerhouse rivals Apple, Apteligent’s report shows the opportunity for developers to take part in this potential new market.

Tracking the adoption and usage of both Apple TV and Android TV, Apteligent identified that Apple TV was used twice as much as its counterpart. However, the report’s usage pattern results showed that while Apple TV enjoyed 30% more usage on weekends, Android TV was actually viewed more consistently by users throughout the entire week.

According to the report, Google’s strategy to embed its OS directly into smart TVs as opposed to investing in a separate and expensive set-top box is the likely source of this consistent usage. Additionally, the integration can also provide a more seamless experience for those users who have not taken the leap to be “cord cutters.”

For Levy, Apple’s continued investment in a set-top box will mean an increased engagement difference between these two platforms.

“Google is smart to work directly with TV manufacturers to provide a free alternative that can run most of the entertainment apps used on Apple TV. Over time, if Google expands its footprint, Apple will need to invest heavily to continue to differentiate the set-top box enough to justify the cost,” adds Levy.

The relatively new TV platform market, identified by Apteligent to have huge growth potential, is an important space to watch for both developers and companies in the entertainment sector. To stay ahead of the curve, however, developers will need to do more than provide a 5-star experience of video and music, and ensure the cross platform usability of their products—an increasingly important metric as users continue to diversify how they engage with their content.

“To compete in the future, these brands must not only establish a relationship with a consumer as they are on the go, via their mobile device, but then continue that experience at home via their largest screen in the house,” added Levy.

Beyond these figures, Apteligent’s also measured Android updates release speeds by differing manufacturers, placing Samsung, LG, Sony, and HTC first, and Amazon, Motorola, and ZTE last. Additionally, the report analyzed 400 million Android crashes and found Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1, the Samsung Galaxy S2, and the Huawei P8 Lite to experience the most device-specific bugs.

By applying insightful data, such as Apteligent’s, developers will be able to gain a competitive edge in a highly dynamic market and mitigate any product issues to ensure ongoing product success.

Full details of the report can be found here.