It's that time of the month again, folks. Google has just updated its monthly Android platform distribution chart, and there's some good news in the updated data. Android 2.2 Froyo, a version launched in May 2010, is finally installed on less than 0.1% of devices in the wild at the moment. That's the threshold under which a version isn't shown in the chart. So it's time to say RIP Froyo.
The oldest iteration of Android that still has over 0.1% market share thus became Gingerbread, with 1%, followed by Ice Cream Sandwich with 1.1%. Thankfully their numbers are consistently declining from month to month - in December they were both at 1.2%.
The latest variant of Google's mobile OS, Nougat, has only captured 0.7% of the market at the moment. That is obviously appalling four months after its initial release, but also expected given how slow the adoption is for every new Android version.
Lollipop is still the most used iteration, with 33.4% market, followed by Marshmallow with 29.6%. Then comes KitKat which is on 22.6% of devices, while Jelly Bean has 11.6%. Aside from Nougat and Marshmallow, all the other releases have seen drops in their market share.
Nokia has finally announced its 2017 Android phone, which marks its return to the mainstream mobile market. This one's available only in China, but fortunately there are more new Nokia Android phones to come (hopefully at MWC 2017) that will be sold in other regions. This Nokia 6 is merely a taster. Here's what you need to know about the Nokia Android phone release date, price and specifications.
Once the biggest and best-known mobile phone manufacturer, following some tough competition from iPhone and Android Nokia in 2011 made the fatal mistake of agreeing to produce only Windows phones. In 2014 it packed up its mobile phone game and sold its business to Microsoft. Fast-forward to 2017, and with Android onboard, this could be the Nokia comeback we've been waiting for.
It's still not quite Nokia as we know it, since Finnish brand HMD Global currently owns the rights to develop, build and sell Nokia-branded phones - although it does so with Nokia's input.
Nokia 6 release date: When is the Nokia Android phone coming out? How to buy Nokia 6
According to HMD Global, the Nokia 6 will be available to buy in the coming weeks through JD.com. Unfortunately this Nokia Android phone will officially be available only in China, though more Nokia Android phones are on their way that will be sold in other regions - these could be announced at MWC 2017 at the end of February.
The decision to launch the Nokia 6 only in China is "a reflection of the desire to meet the real world needs of consumers in different markets around the world. With over 552 million smartphone users in China in 2016, a figure that is predicted to grow to more than 593 million users by 2017, it is a strategically important market where premium design and quality is highly valued by consumers," said HMD.
We have reached out to our friends at GearBest to see whether importing the Nokia 6 to the UK will be an option and will update this article when we hear back, but we aren't holding out any hope since HMD notes that the Nokia 6 will be exclusively available via JD.
Nokia 6 price: How much is the Nokia Android phone?
The Nokia 6 has an RRP of 1699 CNY, which at the time of writing converts to £201.66 in the UK, 232.07 Euro in the EU, and $245.38 in the US. If it is possible to import this phone to the UK, expect to pay a higher price.
Nokia 6 specifications and features: What to expect from Nokia Android phone
The Nokia 6 is a unibody Android Nougat phone crafted from a single block of Series 6000 aluminium. This is paired with a 5.5in full-HD laminated in-cell display with protective 2.5D Gorilla Glass.
Inside HMD has fitted the Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 octa-core processor, along with the Adreno 505 GPU, 4GB of LPDDR3 RAM, 64GB of storage and a 3,000mAh battery.
The company draws particular attention to the Nokia 6's multimedia functionality, quoting dual amplifiers that deliver a 6dB louder sound than a regular amp, giving higher voice, deeper bass and unmatched clarity, and Dolby Atmos that creates powerful, moving audio that seems to flow all around users.
There's also a 16Mp, f/2.0 primary camera with phase-detection autofocus, and an 8Mp selfie camera.
