Although just two days old, iOS 6.1 is poised to become the most rapidly adopted version of Apple’s mobile operating system ever, according to information from Web content firm Onswipe, as reported by TechCrunch. As of 3 PM EST Wednesday, over 21 percent of all iOS visitors to Onswipe-supported websites were running the latest version of iOS.
Onswipe gathers its data from over 13 million iOS users each month. When Apple released iOS 6 in September 2012, Onswipe noted that adoption of the OS had reached 44.58 percent after seven days. At its current pace, iOS 6.1 adoption is set to safely outpace its predecessor.
Onswipe breaks its numbers down into just iPhone and iPad, leaving out the iPod touch. Considering the first two devices, however, the iPhone has a slightly higher iOS 6.1 adoption rate of 23.92 percent while the iPad trails slightly behind at 20.9 percent.
Although a few important features were added to the iOS 6.1 update, such as expanded LTE support, it was not a major feature-rich update that users would otherwise be eager to obtain. The fast adoption rate is therefore an interesting characteristic of the iOS ecosystem.
Jason Baptiste, Onswipe’s CEO, told TechCrunch that Apple’s simple and easy to understand over-the-air iOS update feature is likely the primary reason for the fast adoption. Apple’s method contrasts that found on Android, where hardware and carrier limitations often make operating system updates complicated or impossible. A recent Google report shows that only about 10 percent of Android users are running one of the latest versions of Android, 4.1 or 4.2 Jelly Bean.
Onswipe’s numbers add further detail to Apple’s claim Monday that iOS is in some form now installed on over 300 million devices worldwide, which represents about 60 percent of all iOS devices ever sold.
The fast adoption of new operating systems not only helps to keep the iOS platform secure, it also allows Apple and third party developers to push hardware and software limitations, knowing that a majority of active users will be running the latest OS and will be able to take advantage of new features and apps.
Teaser graphic made with help from Shutterstock.