Google may be putting more pressure on Android device makers to increase the frequency with which they update to the latest version of Android OS.
The company is preparing a ranking system that will order manufacturers based on how quickly they roll out OS updates, according to Bloomberg. Citing people familiar with the matter, Bloomberg reports that the rankings are designed to shame manufacturers into releasing more frequent updates. They will complement other efforts Google is working on, including accelerating security updates and reducing phone testing requirements.
Google did not immediatley respond to a request for comment.
The slow pace of Android updates has been a problem since the mobile OS was first introduced nearly a decade ago. Unlike Apple's iOS ecosystem, the vast majority of Android phones aren't made by Google, so Android OS update rollouts are scheduled by a hodgepodge of different device manufacturers and carriers.
The result is a fragmented Android market. The most recent version, Marshmallow, is installed on just 7.5 percent of Android devices, compared to the more than 80 percent of Apple devices that run the latest iOS 9.
Besides missing out on the latest software features, owners of devices stuck on earlier Android versions are also vulnerable to security holes. Google's own Nexus phones and tablets receive monthly security updates, and the company notifies Android manufacturers each month about platform and security issues.
But the monthly update program was only instituted last summer after the Stagefright vulnerability, which opened the door for anyone to take over a handset just by knowing its phone number. About 95 percent of Android devices, or about 950 million smartphones, were vulnerable.
Other manufacturers have joined Google in the monthly security update cycle, but not HTC. Last year, it said such frequent updates aren't feasible due to the testing requirements imposed by wireless carriers.