Google has confirmed a directive that will require all devices that will launch after 31st January 2019 are required to run the latest version of Android 10. This is according to a piece that first appeared on XDA developers.
Software version fragmentation is one of the pain points of using the Android OS. Currently, just over 10% of Android devices runs the latest (widely available) version of the Android OS.
Compare this to iOS, where close to 90% of iPhones run the latest version of iOS.
Smartphone vendors will have to comply with the directive in order to obtain certification to use Google Mobile Services such as Play Store and Maps. These are the same services that Huawei currently can’t use.
It will be interesting to see if smartphone vendors will comply with the directive or whether they will be able to find a way around it.
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Kevin is a tech enthusiast and the lead writer at MobiTrends.co.ke. He has been writing about smartphones and tech related topics since October 2012. About Us | Contact Us