Google got Android 17 out early this year, and almost no one has it yet. According to Heise’s look at the October 2026 version numbers, only about 1% of active Android phones run the new version.

Why does this matter? Plenty of people are still on much older software. Android 16 is the most common version at 25.4%, ahead of Android 14 at 15.3% and Android 15 at 14.7%. Android 11 still runs on 10.5% of phones, which is more than Android 12 at 9.6%. In all, 43.6% of devices run Android 13 or older.

Google moved the date, but phones haven’t followed

Google used to ship its big Android update in the fall. Android 15 arrived in October 2024, and Google then said it would move its big Android release to June so new phones could launch with the latest version. Android 17 followed that plan and reached the public on June 16.

The 1% isn’t a final grade, though. Android 17 has only been out for about four and a half months. Android 16 sat at just 7.5% in December 2025 before climbing to 25.4%. The figures also cover phones that connected to the Google Play Store in a seven-day window, and Google no longer posts its own public chart, so they are estimates.

Most owners also can’t update on their own schedule. A new Android version reaches a phone only after its maker is ready to send it. That is likely a bigger reason for the slow start than anyone choosing to wait.

How to check your phone

Open Settings, then About phone, and look for your Android version. The exact menu varies by brand. If you’re on Android 13 or older, you’re in the 43.6% still waiting on newer software. Older phones usually stop getting new features first, and fixes later.

The post Google Shipped Android 17 Early, but Only 1% of Phones Have It appeared first on Phandroid.