The great Android vs iOS debate (as well as the likes of Windows Mobile and Blackberry OS) is likely to wage for a long time yet. While many consumers have happily settled on one or the other, only the most committed fans would deny each offer their own distinctive positives and negatives.
One thing Apple excel at is convincing iPhone and iPad owners to upgrade to the newest version of their operating system. The latest official figures from the company reveal that, as surveyed over a 7-day period ending on December 1st, 74% of all iOS devices using the App Store had updated to iOS 7. A further 22% of users were still using its predecessor iOS 6, while only 4% were using an older version than that. This is particularly notable considering several of the company's older devices do not support the latest OS revision. iOS 7 was released in September.
The figures illustrate why iOS remains particularly attractive to many application developers. The high adoption rate means a vast majority of users will be running on identical software specifications, helped by the fact that Apple offer a limited amount of fixed hardware. In comparison, Android's Jelly Bean OS only has an adoption rate of approximately 55% after a year on release. Jelly Bean is now being slowly replaced by the latest OS revision Kit-Kat, which is being rolled out on different devices over the coming months. Android developers also have to bear in mind a dizzying variety of hardware.
It should be pointed out that this range is exactly what many Android users support, as it leads to a greater diversity and adaptability than Apple's tightly controlled hardware and software. iOS 7 was also a more significant update than most of the recent Android versions have been, and required many developers to completely rebuild their applications to suit the new design. However, both Apple and its base of app developers are likely to be extremely pleased with the figures.
One mobile phone owner who won't be particularly concerned, though, is Barack Obama. As reported by AFP, Obama told a group of youths at the White House that "I'm not allowed for security reasons to have an iPhone". He has been allowed hang on to his Blackberry, and he also owns an iPad.
