Google shows jump in Android 2.1 use

The number of handsets accessing the Android Market app store using Android 2.1 'Eclair' has increased to 55.5 per cent up from 50 per cent, according to monthly figures ending 15 July released today.

Google began pushing the latest version, Android 2.2, to users of its Nexus One smartphone just under a month ago.

This has brought the number of Android users on version 2.2 to 3.3 per cent, and increased the number of users running the two most recent distributions, while also increasing Android's share of the smartphone operating system market.

But the figures also show that Google has added only a further 8.4 per cent to the number of Android devices actively running Android 2.0 or higher, which amounted to 50.4 per cent last month.

Today's figures further indicate only a slightly accelerated rate of migration to the most current 2.2 'Froyo' version, due to its lack of availability on Android handsets. It also leaves a further 18.9 per cent of Android users running the oldest active version, Android 1.5, and 22.1 per cent running Android 1.6.

The figures confirm that apps developers targeting the Android Market will continue to have to manage their work across a number of different versions.

And, while Google has said that it will continue to push the latest Android update gradually to all users of the platform, the company confirmed today that it has discontinued direct sales of the Nexus One from its web site.