Research shows Nokia phones received Android 9 update fastest

Only 1/3^rd of smartphones across the globe have been updated to function on the latest version of Android’s OS according to a whitepaper by researchers at CounterPoint technology. This is important since since ‘many of the key features including battery life, processor,camera and memory are linked to the performance of the underlying operating system’ according to the firms Research Director, Peter Richardson.

The firm, which studied the topic, produced a whitepaper on it last week  showed that Nokia leads among all the other smartphone brands in updating its phones the fastest. According to its findings, 96 per cent of the Nokia phones sold after Q3 of 2018 work on Android Pie 9. The brand effectively leads the market followed distantly by Samsung and Xiaomi who are at 89 per cent and 84 per cent respectively.  

Consumer behaviour shows increasing user preference for smooth performance with a number of them spending more on a new, upgraded phone for themselves.  This results from updates versions of US. The paper also said that in markets as diverse as China, Europe, and the US the average time for the same is now approaching 30 months. Thus, with longer periods of usage for smartphones, it is necessary that manufacturers update their phones quicker.

"High-priced devices are often updated first, but having the latest software is as important to mid- and low-priced products as it is to flagship devices," said Research Analyst, Abhilash Kumar. "Brands like Alcatel and Tecno are the laggards. This is because these brands have broad portfolios, mostly in the sub-US$200 segment, and the lifecycle of their models tends to be short. Their products often transition from launch to end-of-life in as little as six months, which means they have less incentive to provide long-term updates."

“Operating system and security updates are an aspect of Android smartphones that get relatively little attention. In our experience researching the industry, we have seen few brands focusing on this.", Richardson added. Manufacturers would fail their consumers if this trend continues, according to the market research firm.