Froyo's share is on the rise

Six months after its release, Froyo has begun to eclipse Eclair as the most prevalent Android OS version. According to figures Google released yesterday, Android 2.2 runs on 51.8 percent of handsets that accessed the Andorid Market in a 14-day period ending January 4. Eclair (2.1) handsets had a 35.2 percent share, whereas Cupcake (1.4) and Donut (1.6) have dwindled down to a combined 12.6 percent share.

We realize that Google is using a very specific measure that doesn't reflect the total number of devices on the market, but the news is welcome nonetheless. And when you think about it, the two weeks after the holidays isn't such a bad time to run the survey since new handset owners most likely jump on the Android Market soon after they activate their device.

It's also worth noting that these figures take all Android devices into account and not just the smartphones. We could potentially be looking at a fractured pie when Android 3.0 Honeycomb arrives in the form of the Motorola Xoom and G-Slate. Perhaps now is a good time to consider splitting the chart into two, keeping phones and tablets separate.

The newest kid in class, Gingerbread, makes its presence felt with a meager 0.4 percent of the pie, but its share should pick up quickly after phones like the Xperia Arc arrive. Also, other handsets will get 2.3 in the near future, and with Mobile World Congress on the horizon, I'd look for more Gingerbread-based devices to show up as well.

Froyo, however, is still the the primary concern for many Android users. Though two phones, the Samsung Acclaim and LG Ally are the most recent Froyo recipients, the Samsung Galaxy S series is still waiting, even though the handsets were released last summer. Looking at the chart, it's probable that Sammy's flagship line accounts for a bulk of those 2.1 figures. Once an update is issued for these devices, I'd look for more disparity in the numbers.