Froyo now powering over a quarter of Android smartphones

Android 2.2.--a.k.a. 'Froyo'--now powers 28.7 percent of smartphones running Google's Android operating system, according to new data issued by the digital services giant. In recent weeks, Android 2.2 (which boasts faster browsing and support for Adobe Flash, among other enhancements) has expanded to devices including HTC's Evo and Motorola's Droid and Droid 2--Android 2.1 remains the dominant OS version, powering 41.7 percent of phones. Google adds that 17.5 percent of devices continue to run Android 1.6, with 12.0 percent of units running Android 1.5--just 0.1 percent of Android phones are still running obsolete versions of the OS.

Google's announcement coincides with new research issued by mobile app analytics firm Localytics, which notes that Android's over-the-air upgrade approach is considerably more consumer friendly than Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) upgrade process for its rival iOS, which requires users to connect their mobile devices to their computer. Localytics reports that two months after the June 21 release of iOS 4.0, more than 20 percent of iPhone 3GS users still haven't upgraded their phones--by comparison, 96 percent of Motorola Droid units now run Android 2.2, released on Aug. 12.

For more on Android's OS status:
- check out the Android Developers Device Dashboard

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