Apple's digs at Android distribution are getting older

During the keynote speech, Cook took the opportunity to take a picture of Android by displaying the image above: a comparison between iOS distribution numbers and Android distribution numbers for the most recent versions of the two Operating systems. According to Apple data, iOS 12 is 85% of Apple devices concerned, while Android 9 Pie only represents 10% of Android devices.

This search on Android is not new. Here, Cook does the same thing in 2018 and 2017. Each time, the joke is the same: "Look how iOS is so much better than" these other guys, "yuk yuk."

The joke is tired and totally unjustified.

Let's see these numbers

The numbers displayed by Cook during his speech seem very simple: iOS 12 is on the overwhelming majority of Apple devices, while Android 9 Pie is about a tenth. Apple wins this round, right?

As for the Android distribution, there are more than 2 billion devices on the market. According to the latest figures released by Google, 10.4% of these 2 billion devices use Android 9 Pie, or about 208 million devices.

While 208 million devices are still far from 900 million, the difference between these two figures gives a picture quite different from that of the percentages displayed by Cook at the WWDC. Yes, Apple "wins", but when we look at the actual number of units, its lead is not as big.

Apples against oranges (or androids)

I wanted to show a different perspective of the distribution numbers in the previous section, but in the end it does not matter. Ultimately, Apple has the luxury of offering software updates to its own products – devices it has created, running the hardware it has designed with a primary connection directly to the home.

Google does not have this luxury, so of course, Android's distribution numbers will be behind Apple. Google needs to pass the latest version of Android to dozens of OEMs, who in turn need to review and optimize this software to make sure it will work with their specific hardware configurations. Then these builders need to update the updates for these devices themselves – although some also need to work with operators around the world before that is possible. Some OEMs are better than others.

Is the Apple system better and easier? You bet that's it. Is the Android world able to reach the same level of efficiency? Not in Google's wildest dreams. In this sense, comparing the success of Apple to that of Android in software distribution is a useless business.

The figures also ignore the idea that the distribution of operating system versions is only part of the full picture on Android. Throughout the year, Google continually updates system apps, Google Play services, security features, and other aspects of Android – the iOS equivalent that Apple believes is part of the system operating. In other words, Apple is struggling to publish a new iOS once a year, but Google offers smaller updates but still important for 2 billion devices several times a year.

Frankly, we should be impressed by the fact that Google has been able to integrate Pie with more than 10% of Android devices worldwide in less than a year, given the limitations it faces. This achievement is a representation that Google is on the right track. Even Apple should notice it! In 2018, Apple's graph showed only 6% of Oreo's Android distribution. Google improves even with the limitations that Apple faces.

In this sense, the search of Apple on Android is pure pettiness, the equivalent of Richie Rich who explains how much his boat is bigger than Blue Collar Joe's. Of course, Richie, you have it much easier than Joe.

If you like it, Apple: do not downgrade to this "joke" tired next year.