Developers looking to create applications for Android Market should target version 2.1 of the Android platform to gain maximum exposure, according to the latest data from the Android Open Source Project. As shown in the chart below, 55.5 percent of Android devices that accessed Android Market in the 14 days to July 15, 2010, were running version 2.1. High-profile smartphones such as HTC’s Desire and Evo support the platform.

Google’s latest version of Android, 2.2, was only on 3.3 percent of devices accessing the application store. This low figure is not surprising though given that the only device officially running the 2.2 platform is Google’s Nexus One, which is now no longer available for purchase directly from Google (although the company is seeking to strike a deal with a partner in order to ensure developers continue to have access to the device). More devices will support version 2.2 later this year. It’s worth noting too that a small proportion of that 3.3 percent will also be ‘hacked’ versions of 2.1 devices running the latest upgrade.

Google’s stats are important to developers as, in the company’s own words, they can help them “understand the landscape of device distribution and decide how to prioritise the development of application features for the devices currently in the hands of users.” More information on how to target applications to devices based on platform versions can be obtained here.

A Light Reading Mobile report notes that this market fragmentation “means a choice between reach and functionality” for developers. The report describes how developers can choose between developing for the lowest-level Android 1.5 platform (which is forward compatible with the newer versions, but won’t take advantage of the higher-level software and hardware functions) or use Android 2.1 (which includes the latest features but will exclude half of Android’s user base).

Last week Google announced that Android Market now offers 70,000 applications, and is reported to have exceeded one billion downloads.

 

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