Sandwich",whichhasbeenreleasedinOctober2011.

Itcombines"Gingerbread"and"Honeycomb"versionsina
cohesiveplatformfortabletsandphonesatthesametime.
Android5.0akaLollipoptargettobeevenmoreversatiletotargetalsosmartwatches,TVplayer,Carmedia
center...devicewithonly512ofRAMcansupportthisnewversion.
Note:Themarketsharefigures(Feb.2016)arebasedonstatisticsusingAPIlevel,sothepercentagemightgather
severalversionsoftheAndroidplatform.

Relatedcomparisons:
http://socialcompare.com/en/comparison/mobileoscomparisondeveloperview
Thefollowingcomparisonchartliststhemaindifferencesbetweeneachversionoftheandroidplatformusingthe
changelogofeachversion.Donothesitatetocontributeorcommenttomakethiscomparisontableasaccurateas
possible.
Version
name

Keyuserfeaturesadded

Android6.0.1 Marshmallow Newemojis

Android6

Marshmallow

USBTypeCsupport
FingerprintAuthentication
support
Betterbatterylifewith"deep
sleep"
Permissionsdashboard
AndroidPay
MIDIsupport
GoogleNowimprovements

Android
Keydeveloperfeatures Release
API
market
added
date
Level
share
2015
1.2%(6
23
Dec7 6.0.1)
CustomChrome
Tabsforbetterin
appbrowser
support
AppPermissions
management
update

2015
Oct5

1.2%(6
23
6.0.1)

Speedimprovement
Bugfixes

17.1%
2015
(5.1
Apr21
5.1.1)

22

Android5.1 Lollipop

MultipleSIMcardssupport
Quicksettingsshortcutsto
joinWiFinetworksor
controlBluetoothdevices
Lockprotectioniflostor
stolen
HighDefinitionvoicecall
Stabilityandperformance
enhancements

2015
Mar9

17.1%
(5.1
5.1.1)

22

Android5.0.2 Lollipop

Performanceimprovements
andbugfixes

17%
2014
(5.0
Dec19
5.0.2)

21

Android5.0.1 Lollipop

bugfixes,fixissueswith
videoplaybackand
passwordfailures

2014
Dec2

17%
(5.0
5.0.2)

21

2014

17%
(5.0

Android5.1.1 Lollipop

Android5.0 Lollipop

Newdesign(Material
design)
Speedimprovement

SeveralnewAPI
Trackingbattery

21

Batteryconsumption
improvement

consumptionapp

Oct17 5.0.2)

Android4.4.4 KitKat

FixHeartbleed/OpenSSL
vulnerability

35.5%
2014
(4.4
Jun23
4.4.4)

19

Android4.4.3 KitKat

Bugfixes
EnableSprintSparkband26
andband41

35.5%
2014
(4.4
Apr14
4.4.4)

19

Android4.4.2 KitKat

Bugfixes
Securityenhancements

2013
Dec9

35.5%
(4.4
4.4.4)

19

Android4.4.1 KitKat

Bugfixes
Enhancethecameraonthe
Nexus5

2013
Dec5

35.5%
(4.4
4.4.4)

19

Android4.4 KitKat

Screenrecording
NewTranslucentsystemUI
Enhancednotificationaccess
Systemwidesettingsfor
closedcaptioning
Performanceimprovements

PublicAPIfor
SMSmanagement.
Improvedmemory
usage
Security
enhancements
(SELinux
enforcingmode,
newcryptographic
algorithms,VPN
peruser...)
NFCHostCard
Emulation(for
wirelesspayment,
loyalty
programs...)
Printing
Framework
StorageAccess
Framework
HardwareSensor
Batching
35.5%
2013
Fullscreen
(4.4
immersivemode Oct31 4.4.4)
GLES2.0
SurfaceFlinger
Chromium
WebView
Audiotunnelingto
DSP
Audiomonitoring
WiFicertified
Miracast
NewBluetooth
profile
IRBlastersAPI
WiFiTunneled
DirectLinkSetup

19

(TDLS)support
Toolsforanalyzing
memoryuse
(procstats,on
devicememory
statusand
profiling)

Android4.3 JellyBean

Dialpadautocomplete
PhotoSphereenhancements
CameraappUIupdated
4Kresolutionsupport
Abilitytocreaterestricted
profilesfortablets
HebrewandArabicrightto
left(RTL)support
BluetoothLowEnergy
(BLE)support
BluetoothAudio/Video
RemoteControlProfile
(AVRCP)1.3support
Securityandperformance
enhancements

OpenGLfor
EmbeddedSystems
3.0graphics
support
Loggingand
analyzing
2013
enhancements
Jul24
WiFiscanning
API
ImprovedDRM
(digitalrights
management)API
VP8encoding

Android4.2.2 JellyBean

AllowtogglingWiFiand
BluetoothstateinQuick
Settingsusinglongpress
Showsthepercentageand
estimatedtimeremainingin
theactivedownload
notifications
Wirelesschargingandlow
batterysoundschanged
Galleryappupdatedfor
fasterloadingwithnew
imagetransition
Performanceenhancements
andbugfixes(Bluetooth
A2DPaudiostreamingfix...)

SecureUSB
debugging(allow
debuggingto
authenticated
computersonly)

Android4.2.1 JellyBean

Fixmissingdecemberbugin
thePeopleapp
AddsupportforBluetooth
gamepadsandjoysticksHID
devices

Lockscreenwidgets
360degreeimageswith
PhotoSphere

vsynctiming
Triplebuffering
reducedtouch
latency
CPUinputboost
NativeRTL
supportmirrors
thedisplayfrom
manifestprop
Externaldisplay
supportDisplay

3.4%
(4.3)

18

11.7%
2013
(4.2
Feb11
4.2.2)

17

11.7%
2012
(4.2
Nov27
4.2.2)

17

Android4.2 JellyBean

GestureTyping,forfaster
typing
Wirelessdisplaywith
Miracast
Daydreamtodisplay
informationwhenidleor
docked
Multiuserfortablets

Manager
11.7%
Nestedfragments 2012
(4.2
Renderscript
Nov13
4.2.2)
Computerun
tasksontheGPU
(supporteddevices)
Renderscript
ScriptGroups,
builtinintrinsics
likeblur,
FilterScriptisa
subsetof
Renderscriptmade
forhigh
performanceimage
processing

17

Android4.1.2 JellyBean

EnableHomescreenrotation
Fixbugsandenhance
performances

2012
Oct9

8.8%
(4.1
4.1.2)

16

Android4.1.1 JellyBean

Fixabugonscreen
orientation

2012
Jul23

8.8%
(4.1
4.1.2)

16

8.8%
(4.1
4.1.2)

16

Android4.1 JellyBean

IceCream
Android4.0.4
Sandwich

GoogleNow(
http://youtu.be/pPqliPzHYyc
)
VoiceSearch
Speedenhancements
Cameraappimprovements
Accessibility:gesturemode,
enablebrailleexternal
keyboards...

stabilityimprovements
bettercameraperformance
smootherscreenrotation

Android3.2.6 Honeycomb Minorfixes

SocialstreamAPIin
Contactsprovidertoshow
updatesassociatedtoyour
contacts

appstack
navigationto
defineaparent
activityinmanifest
fordeepnavigation
MediaActionSound
classtomake
soundslikewhena
cameratakesa
photo
2012
NFCsupportslarge
Jul9
payloadsover
bluetooth
WIFI/WIFIDirect
servicediscovery
Large,detailed,
multiaction
notifications
Inputmanager
allowsyouto
queryinputdevices

2.5%
2012
(4.0.3 15
Mar28
4.0.4)
2012
0%
Feb15

13

IceCream
Android4.0.3
Sandwich

Videostabilizationand
QVGAvideoresolutionAPI
access
AccessibilityAPI
refinementsforscreen
readers
Calendarproviderupdates

2.5%
2011
(4.0.3 15
Dec16
4.0.4)

2011
0%
Dec15
2011
0%
Nov28

Android3.2.4 Honeycomb Added"Payasyougo"fortablets

Android4.0.2

Android4.0.1

Android4.0

IceCream
Sandwich

IceCream
Sandwich

IceCream
Sandwich

Minorfixes
Facialrecognition(Face
Unlock)
UIuseHardware
acceleration
Bettervoicerecognition
(dictating/Voicetyping)
Webbrowser,allowsupto
16tabs
Updatedlauncher
(customizable)
AndroidBeamappto
exchangedatathroughNFC

Newlockscreenactions
Improvedtextinputand
spellchecking
Controlovernetworkdata
EmailappsupportsEASv14
WIFIdirect
BlueToothHealthDevice
Profile

Android3.2.2 Honeycomb Minorfixes

Android2.3.7 Gingerbread

GoogleWalletsupportfor
theNexusS4G
AndroidMarketupdates
includingeasierautomatic

Lowlevel
streaming
multimedia
(Khronos
OpenMAXAL
GridLayout
Spellchecking
service
AddressSpace
Layout
Randomization
VPNclientAPI
RemoteDevice
camera
enable/disable
ZSLexposure,
continuousfocus,
andimagezoom
Flagstohelp
controlsystemui
elementslike
systembarfrom
apps

13
14

2011
0%
Oct19

14

2011
0%
Oct18

14

2011
0%
Sep30

13

2.7%
2011
(2.3.3 10
Sep21
2.3.7)

Android3.2.1 Honeycomb

updates
GoogleBooksupdates
WiFiimprovements
Chinesehandwriting
predictionimproved

2011
0%
Sep20

13

Android2.3.6 Gingerbread

Voicesearchissuefixed

2011
Sep2

2.7%
(2.3.3 10
2.3.7)

Android2.3.5 Gingerbread

Improvednetwork
performancefortheNexusS
4G
FixedBluetoothissueson
theSamsungGalaxyS
Gmailapp.improvements

2011
Jul25

2.7%
(2.3.3 10
2.3.7)

Android3.2 Honeycomb

Android2.3.4 Gingerbread

Android3.1 Honeycomb

Optimizationsforawider
rangeoftablets
Compatibilitydisplaymode
(zoomforfixedsizedapps)
MediasyncfromSDcard

ExtendedAPIfor
managingscreens
support
New
resource
qualifiersfor
screens
support
New
manifest
attributesfor 2011
screensize Jul15
compatibility
Screen
compatibility
modewhich
allowsfor
phoneapps
toappearas
iftheywere
stillona
phone

Voiceorvideochatusing
GoogleTalk

OpenAccessory
API

UIimprovements
OpenAccessoryAPI
USBhostAPI
Mice,joysticks,gamepads...
support
ResizableHomescreen
widgets
MTPnotifications
RTPAPIforaudio

0%

2.7%
2011
(2.3.3 10
May10
2.3.7)

2011
0%
May10

contextualaction
bar
Fragmentsfirst
introduced(support

13

12

Android3.0 Honeycomb

Multicoresupport
Bettertabletsupport
Updated3DUI
customizable
homescreens
recentapplications
viewing
redonekeyboard
layout
Media/Picturetransport
protocol
GoogleTalkvideochat
GoogleeBooks
"Privatebrowsing"
SystemwideClipboard
HTTPLivestreaming

librarynow
supportsitaswell)
Hardware
accelerated2D
graphics
Renderscript3D
graphicsengine
PluggableDRM
framework
2011
device
0%
Feb22
administration
Highperformance
Animation
Framework
RTPstreamingAPI
Forcedrendering
oflayers
Highperformance
WIFIlock
Vewnetwork
trafficstats
ADTSAACand
FLACaudio
LRUcache

11

Android2.3.3 Gingerbread

NFCAPI
improvements
(peertopeer
2011
communication...) Feb9
addedunsecure
bluetoothsockets

2.7%
(2.3.3 10
2.3.7)

Android2.3 Gingerbread

performance
concurrentgarbage
collection,faster
eventdistribution,
updatedvideo
drivers
NDKNative
AssetManager,
NativeActivities+
eventhandling,
2010
khronosapi
Dec6
audioeffectsapi
VP8,WebM,AAC,
AMRwideband
Multiplecamera
sensorsupport
strictmode
debugging
mediaframework
replacesOpenCore

0%(2.3
9
2.3.2)

Android2.2 Froyo

UpdatedUI
Improvedkeyboardeaseof
use
Improvedcopy/paste
Improvedpower
management
Socialnetworkingfeatures
NearFieldCommunication
support
NativeVoIP/SIPsupport
Videocallsupport

Speedimprovements
JITimplementation
USBTethering
Applicationsinstallationto
theexpandablememory

2010
0.1%
May20 (2.2)

Uploadfilesupportinthe
browser
AnimatedGIFs
2010
0%
Jan12

2009
Dec3

0%

Android2.0 Eclair

HTML
Digitalzoom
MicrosoftExchangesupport
Bluetooth2.1
LiveWallpapers
UpdatedUI

2009
0%
Oct26

Android1.6 Donut

Gestureframework
Turnbyturnnavigation

2009
0%
Sep15

Android1.5 Cupcake

BluetoothA2DP,AVRCP
support
Softkeyboardwithtext
prediction
Record/watchvideos

2009
0%
Apr30

Android1.1 Bananabread

"Show"&"Hide"numeric
keyboard,incaller
application
AbilitytosaveMMS
attachments

2009
Feb9

0%

Android1.0 Applepie

Downloadandupdatesvia
AndroidMarket
WebBrowser
Camerasupport
Gmail,ContactsandGoogle
Agendasynchronization
GoogleMaps
YouTubeapplication

2008
0%
Sep23

Android2.1 Eclair

UpdatedUI

Android2.0.1 Eclair

Android0.9
Version
Keydeveloperfeatures
Keyuserfeaturesadded
name
added
Preferences Adddata Importdata Savenewview Save
Report

Embed

2008
0%
Aug22
Release
Android
API
date marketshare Level