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iOS 9 adoption continues to outpace iOS 8, as it hits 66%

iOS 9 continues to outstrip all previous versions of iOS in terms of pace of adoption. Apple has updated its developer site to show that 66% of all iOS devices are now running iOS 9, up from 61% less than a fortnight ago.

For comparison, iOS 8 had only hit 60% by the end of November last year, took until late December to get to 64% and January to reach 68%. The latest numbers also represent good news for the security of iOS devices … 

With Activation Lock introduced as of iOS 7, the latest numbers mean that 91% of all iPhones and iPads in use are protected against being used by someone else after they’ve been lost or stolen.

One factor likely to be in play is the fact that it’s possible to upgrade to iOS 9 even when your device doesn’t have enough free space. The introduction of new emojis in iOS 9.1 probably also helped drive demand.

The latest beta, iOS 9.2 beta 2, dropped yesterday.

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Comments

  1. Shows how alive the platform is, unlike Android.

    • You are completely obsessed with bringing up Android, even in an article which has absolutely nothing to do with it.

      You sure your not a closet fan?

    • Rocwurst (@Rocwurst) - 9 years ago

      @Aunty Troll, a bit sensitive aren’t we? You can’t judge how well a platform is doing in something (OS adoption in this case) unless you compare with other competing platforms.

      Methinks you doth protest too much.

  2. viciosodiego - 9 years ago

    this is do to performance gains for older devices.
    I can confirm this.

  3. 89p13 - 9 years ago

    As well as Apple can’t “back-door UN-encrypt” the phone under some quasi-government agency’s questionable order.

  4. Wasn’t Activation Lock introduced in iOS 7?

  5. crichton007 - 9 years ago

    I find it interesting that with iOS 8 upgrade rates so low compared to previous releases that iOS 9 upgrade rate comparisons (as far as I have seen) have been limited exclusively to iOS 8. I know previous years have been pretty much the same but it still seem interesting to me.

Author

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Ben Lovejoy

Ben Lovejoy is a British technology writer and EU Editor for 9to5Mac. He’s known for his op-eds and diary pieces, exploring his experience of Apple products over time, for a more rounded review. He also writes fiction, with two technothriller novels, a couple of SF shorts and a rom-com!


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