Google's latest Android usage stats reveal that Android 4.0: Ice Cream Sandwich and Android 4.1 and 4.2: Jelly Bean together have finally surpassed the older Gingerbread OS in usage.
Google tracks the devices that access Google Play within specific 14-day periods and regularly publishes the results on the Android Developers website.
The statistics published at the start of March peg ICS with 28.6 percent of the Android world and the two Jelly Beans with 16.5 percent. Math whizzes out there will note that's 45.1 percent.
In January, ICS and Jelly Bean users totaled just 39.3, with Android 2.3: Gingerbread hanging on to its lead at 47.6 percent. But the latest numbers show Gingerbread usage dropped to 44.2 percent, for the first time putting 2.3 in second place to versions 4.0 and above.
Android wars
Google regularly releases Android usage statistics so that developers can angle their apps to reach the most users possible.
In understanding which versions of the Android OS are on the most devices, app developers can better prioritize their updates.
In January it became clear that Jelly Bean was being adopted more quickly than Ice Cream Sandwich had upon its debut in 2011.
That continues to be the case in March; Ice Cream Sandwich users have actually dropped from 29.1 percent to their current 28.6 percent since January, while Jelly Bean rose from 10.2 percent all the way to 16.5 percent.
It seems plenty of devices are being upgraded from ICS to Jelly Bean, and Android users who trade up from Gingerbread are likely going straight to Jelly Bean, as well.
Other versions of Android, including Donut, Eclair, Froyo, and Honeycomb, currently account for just 10.9 of total devices.
