Android Statistics (2026): Users, Market Share, Versions, Release Timeline

Last Updated on: February 21st, 2026

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Android statistics, users, market share, and version history (2026)

Android is a mobile operating system led by Google and developed within the Open Handset Alliance. Android powers smartphones, tablets, TVs, cars, and other connected devices, and it is the world’s most widely used mobile operating system by market share.

Quick takeaways

  • Active Android devices: Google referenced 3 billion active Android devices globally (2021). (Google)
  • Worldwide mobile OS share (Jan 2026): Android 70.36% (StatCounter). (StatCounter)
  • U.S. mobile OS share (Jan 2026): Android 39.95%, iOS 59.77% (StatCounter). (StatCounter)
  • Most-used Android version globally (Jan 2026): Android 15.0 at 22.51% (StatCounter). (StatCounter)

On this page:

Android statistics (2026)

How many Android devices are active?

Google referenced 3 billion active Android devices globally in 2021. (Google)

Android market share

Android’s share of the global mobile OS market:

70.36% worldwide (January 2026). (StatCounter)

Android’s share of the U.S. mobile OS market:

39.95% (January 2026). (StatCounter)

Android’s share of the China mobile OS market:

77.31% (January 2026). (StatCounter)

Android’s share of the India mobile OS market:

94.88% (January 2026). (StatCounter)

Android versions and release timeline

Early Android releases (official SDK announcement): Google announced the Android 1.0 SDK on September 23, 2008. (Android Developers Blog)

Modern Android major versions (selected stable release dates):

Complete Android version history (reference overview): For a full table of versions and dates (including Cupcake, Donut, etc.), see the Android version history summary. (Android version history overview)

Android version market share

Android version market share worldwide (January 2026): (StatCounter)

  • Android 15.0: 22.51%
  • Android 16.0: 15.84%
  • Android 13.0: 14.43%
  • Android 14.0: 13.90%
  • Android 12.0: 10.45%

Methodology

  • Authority-first sources: Market share and version share use StatCounter’s monthly estimates; release milestones use official Android Developers and Google posts.
  • No speculation: Forecasts and “projected” numbers were not included.

Sources & references



Please note that some of these numbers are easier to find than others. Most of these fun facts come from internet reports and may not be official tallies. No information contained on DMR should be relied upon to make investment decisions. Basically, this is the best I can find and I don’t guarantee anything to be 100%.