Let’s discuss technology.
Welcome to Ask Jerry, where we address all the inquiries you may have regarding the smart devices in your life. I’m Jerry, and I have dedicated a significant portion of my existence to working with technology. My background is in engineering and research and development, and I have been covering Android and Google for the last 15 years.
Ask Jerry is a column where we respond to your urgent Android/tech inquiries with assistance from long-time Android Central editor Jerry Hildenbrand.
I am also quite proficient at researching information on various topics — that’s a crucial aspect of our work here at Android Central — and I genuinely enjoy helping others (another essential part of what we do!). If you have any queries regarding your technology, I’d love to discuss them.
Reach out to me at [email protected], and I’ll do my best to resolve any issues. You can choose to remain anonymous if you wish, and we assure you that we won’t disclose anything not covered here.
I’m eager to hear from you!
Is it true that almost half of the globe actually uses Android?
An anonymous user asks:
Google claims there are over three billion Android users. Apple asserts it has two billion. Are these figures accurate?
What a fantastic question! As someone who has a passion for Android and numbers, I absolutely love it! Thank you for bringing it up.
First, the straightforward answer: yes, those figures are indeed accurate. Google and Apple are aware that they cannot fabricate statements about verifiable data, as their reputations would take a significant hit, at least temporarily.
However, they don’t mean exactly what you might think they imply. If you closely observe their statements, you’ll realize they never actually mention three billion individuals; they refer to devices instead. The method of counting devices is somewhat tricky as well.
For a more in-depth answer, we must start with what Android actually is. Android is a trademarked, privately developed operating system owned by Google. It is developed using the Android Open Source Project, which provides the base code for free to everyone. It is also open-source, allowing anyone to download the code and create their own version.
Due to its licensing agreements, most modifications made to the original AOSP don’t need to be open source or require the new code to be made publicly available. Android consists of software created using open-source code, modified by Google, and then further altered by companies like Samsung. To use the name Android, one must adhere to all of Google’s guidelines.
One such guideline involves enabling access to the Google Play Store. For this access, the software must fulfill various other criteria related to interoperability, ensuring that an app that functions on one device should operate similarly on another, provided they are of the same type.
Bear in mind that an Android device doesn’t have to be just a phone. Wearables, tablets, media streamers, and various other devices can also run on Android, which means they too can access Google’s Play Store and other applications.
Lastly, we have Chromebooks. They also utilize Android in some capacity, and they are included in the tally of over three billion devices.
How the counting occurs is what truly matters.
Monthly active devices
Your Android-powered devices consistently interact with the Play Store if they are activated and connected to the Internet. In addition to the analytics that Google enjoys collecting, they check for software updates and work alongside Google Play Protect to avoid harmful apps from reaching your device.
A device is considered active as long as it communicates with the Play Store at least once every 30 days. This contributes to that 3 billion+ statistic. An old phone you have stored away that is only occasionally powered on will still count as active for the month(s) it has been turned on at least once. The same applies to a TV box in a seldom-used spare room or a tablet you rarely pick up.
This also indicates that you are a single user, but your devices are counted separately. I have two Android phones — one for my job involving software testing and another for personal use. Additionally, I own an Android tablet, two Nvidia Shield Pro TV boxes, three Chromebooks, and a smartwatch. I’m one user with eight devices that contribute to the count.
If everyone had a similar setup to mine, it would suggest that those three billion devices are utilized by only 375 million distinctive individuals. Naturally, not all users have eight devices; some possess just one, while others own more than eight.
I am unable to locate any reliable figures regarding actual users as opposed to devices. I’ve encountered estimates ranging from four to seven billion people; however, without a clear methodology explaining how those numbers were derived, the information is inconsequential. I will not speculate.
What I can assert is that there are not over 3 billion individuals with an Android phone, though.
