As Samsung fans wait for Android 14, Android 11 continues to rule the market

Android 14 is the next major update coming to Google's mobile operating system, and some manufacturers have already released Android 14 in beta form for their customers. Samsung fans, including everyone here at SamMobile, are looking forward to Android 14 as well.

By the end of 2023 Samsung will likely have released Android 14 worldwide for most — if not all — of the eligible flagships from the last two years, and perhaps one or two mid-range phones if we're lucky. But even when the largest Android phonemaker starts rolling out Android 14, the latest distribution numbers for Android suggest that version 11 will continue to be the most widely used for some time to come.

For nearly a decade, Google regularly released distribution statistics that showed the percentage of devices each Android version was running on. But those statistics are published much less frequently these last few years, like because they reveal the fragmentation that still affects the Android ecosystem, and the latest distribution numbers do it no favors.

Android 11 rules with 23.1% share, Android 10 comes second at 17.8%

According to Google, at the end of May, 2023, Android 11 was running on 23.1% of devices. And no, it's not Android 12 or Android 13 that come next on the list. It's Android 10, which debuted four years back, has the second biggest share at 17.8%. Android 12 and Android 13, meanwhile, held 16.3% and 15% of the share respectively.

Android 13's share grew considerably between January and May, 2023, going from 5.2% to 15.2%, and Samsung undoubtedly helped here as it released Android 13 for a ton of Galaxy devices. But with most eligible devices, from Samsung and other manufacturers, now running Android 13, its growth is likely to stall. Eventually, its share will start to go down as Android 14 makes its way to more and more smartphones, but it could take considerable time before we see any substantial change in these distribution numbers.

For now, we are looking forward to Samsung releasing the first Android 14 and One UI 6.0 beta, though there's no telling when that will happen. The Android 13 beta program for Galaxy devices kicked off in early August last year, so expect to wait until late July at the earliest for Samsung's Android 14 beta program. Samsung could release it much earlier, but for now that's just wishful thinking.

Wondering if your Galaxy phone or tablet will get Android 14 and One UI 6.0? Check out our exhaustive list for that answer; if you own a device that launched more than two years back, our list of popular Galaxy devices that won't be getting Android 14 and One UI 6.0 might be the one you would want to check first. If you own an eligible device, check (and bookmark) our dedicated tracker to keep up with all the Android 14 and One UI 6.0 news.