SAN FRANCISCO, January 31, 2026, 00:55 PST
- Android 16 now runs on 7.5% of devices in Google’s latest distribution snapshot, based on data dated Dec. 1, 2025. (9to5Google)
- Android 15 remains the most-used version at 19.3%, in the first broad update since April 2025. (PhoneArena)
Google’s latest Android distribution numbers show Android 16 running on 7.5% of devices, while Android 15 holds the top spot with a 19.3% share. (SammyGuru)
That matters because developers use these snapshots to decide which Android versions to support, test and target, and because it gives one of the few public reads on how fast updates are spreading. Google had not refreshed the figures since April 2025, Android Authority noted. (Android Authority)
The mechanics matter, too. The distribution chart now sits inside Android Studio and “aggregates device check-ins from the Play ecosystem,” one write-up said — a narrower lens than “all Android phones,” but still a widely watched barometer. (FindArticles)
The latest breakdown still shows a crowded middle: Android 14 sits at 17.2% and Android 13 at 13.9%, while Android 11 is at 13.7% and Android 12 at 11.4%. Android 4.4 KitKat no longer appears on the list, and Android Headlines linked the faster early uptake to Google and partners such as Samsung pushing updates sooner. (Android Headlines)
Android 16 itself is not new. Google announced the release in June 2025 and said it would roll out “first to supported Pixel devices,” with other brands following later. (Blog)
Google has also tried to pull parts of the Android cycle forward. In a 2024 post outlining a shift to more frequent SDK releases, Android developer vice president Matthew McCullough wrote that Google planned the major 2025 release for Q2 “to better align with the schedule of device launches.” (Android Developers Blog)
For developers, Android versions map to “API levels” — the numbering system apps use to declare compatibility and decide when new platform rules apply. Google’s documentation lists Android 16 as API level 36. (Android Developers)
But the distribution figures can lag what users see day-to-day. Google says its dashboard snapshots represent “active devices” on Google Play during a seven-day period, which means the view is a sample — and it is not updated on a fixed timetable. (Android Developers)
The next shift will likely hinge on how quickly Android 16 moves beyond flagship phones, and how aggressively developers move their apps to newer targets. Google Play currently requires new apps and app updates to target Android 15 (API level 35) or higher, a policy that tends to ratchet upward over time. (Android Developers)
