Update 3/31: Apple’s latest data reflects 78% as measured on the App Store on March 30th.
Update 4/14: Two weeks and one iOS 8.3 update later, the App Store now reports 79% iOS 8 adoption.
Apple now says that 77% of active iPhones, iPads, and iPod touches are now running some version of iOS 8. The remainder of active devices running older software than what was released last September include one out of five devices still running iOS 7, and a small 3% running iOS 6 or earlier. The data comes from Apple’s App Store Distribution dashboard, which captured the adoption rate earlier this week.
While the information does show the steady climb of active devices upgrading to iOS 8 at a steady, gradual rate, it does not reveal how many users are running the very latest version, iOS 8.2, which is required for iPhone users to pair with the upcoming Apple Watch, which will be released on April 24th…
Since last Monday, however, updated iPhones will automatically be put on an Apple Watch-compatible software version.
The new data shows a 4-point climb since February, and a 2-point climb since the last update at the start of March. Notably, users upgrading to iOS 8 continue to come from iOS 7 rather than earlier versions.
MixPanel, another data source, continues to present iOS 8 user statistics at slightly above Apple’s own numbers, estimating that 80% of devices are running the operating system.
The trend that iOS 7 saw higher adoption on the same date a year ago as iOS 8 is also continuing, with MixPanel reporting just under 90% adoption for iOS 7 as of mid-March.
Apple has released a number of point updates to iOS 8 since its debut last September, with iOS 8.1 adding Apple Pay support, iOS 8.2 adding Apple Watch compatibility, and iOS 8.3 appearing as the first public beta version of the iPhone and iPad operating system.
iOS 8.3 will include a redesigned Emoji keyboard with more characters and additional languages for Siri, among other changes. We reported earlier this year that iOS 9, which is expected to be revealed in early June for a public launch later this fall, will focus heavily on performance improvements rather than headlining new features.
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I’d tell people to hold off on iOS 8. I have never experienced a “Blue Screen of Death” on an iPhone and now I go through one or two of them a day besides the software constantly getting stuck on the apple logo requiring a complete reinstall. I have four other iPhones in my family household and they are close to being as buggy as my own on iOS 8 ranging from connection issues with wifi and the carriers to crashes.
That is quite strange. I was a genuis at an Apple store for 3 years and have never seen a “blue screen of death” on any iOS product.
I realized that sounded like I was accusing you of lying, I am not. Just saying it is weird. I have seen products do some strange things, mostly due to liquid damage, but never the blue screen.
Blue screen of death? Never heard of nor seen that on an iPhone. Curious to know what model iPhone you have and who the carrier is. From the sounds of it, I’m betting you probably have Sprint.
And I used iOS 7, now I use iOS 8 and this never happened to me. I also have to add I have an old iPhone 4S which won’t even run iOS 9.
Not sure what happened to your devices. We have a 4S, 6, 6 plus, 2 iPad Air LTE and a regular iPad Air and so far no issues to report. Take your buggy phone in for service if you can’t troubleshoot it. No point suffering with a faulty phone.
This ^. You should actually just try restoring the phone, but then NOT restoring it from a back-up. Its a pain because you have to treat the phone as though its a new device, but it would likely solve the issue.
I’ve had more than my fair share of issues with iOS 8 but never a BSoD. Although the Bluetooth problems aside I think iOS 8.2 is what should have been the original release. This is on top of iOS 7 not really being ready for prime time until 7.1. I really hope that iOS 9 is the Snow Leopard of iOS because I’m getting pretty tired of the sub-par release quality (for Apple anyway) the last couple of years.
3%, always represent
Honestly, I’m a little surprised it’s that low. Every first-generation iPad and every iPhone 3GS and earlier that’s still in use accounts for 3% or less of all iDevices worldwide? I know they’re old, but that’s amazing. (Says someone who found a 3GS in a drawer a couple of weeks back and found a use for it.)
Same here… I’m still rocking a first gen 3G iPad and my 3 year old daughter a first gen 64gb iPad. I also use a jailbroken iPhone 4 on iOS 6 as a webcam using the Manything app.
My iPod Touch5 is still on iOS6 and it performs smooth like butter, love the classic UX too.
My iPad Mini2 has iOS 8.1.2 which was the last version you can Jailbreak and is going to sell good when I sell it.
Not installing 8.2 and later.
Perhaps IOS9 will be my next upgrade, but I’ll have to wait and see.
If you are lagging behind on iOS 7 on that iPhone 5, 5S or 5C, and want Apple Watch, you’ll be pushed up. That said I fully imagine that the vast majority of Y1 buyers of Apple Watch will be likely already up to date.
At some point the explanation behind iOS 7’s faster adoption rate will have to be shifted from “I didn’t have the space because I refuse to offload any photos ever” to “The massive UI upgrade drove a lot to update faster and earlier simply out of curiosity”. I suspect the same thing is going to happen to iOS 8 next month from all the 5 and 5S owners getting a Watch.
I think this is a huge deal. Having almost everyone running the latest of year late OS is amazing. No one else can do this, no one.
I am amazed by the stats… so lets see, Apple stops signing any other ios except 8.1.3, the developers have no choice but to upgrade the apps, some of the older version apps stop working, so the user thinks…”I have a choice, either I can upgrade to the latest ios, OR, I upgrade to the latest ios… oh so I updrade, it is NO more my choice”…. Apple will like that I am on their Latest version of ios….