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Apple/screenshot by Lance Whitney/CNET
Apple’s iOS 8 continues to climb its way up the charts.
As seen on Apple’s App Store Distribution page on Tuesday, iOS 8 has nailed an adoption rate of 81 percent. That number specifically refers to the percentage of all iOS devices that visited Apple’s App Store on Monday, April 27.
iOS 8 adoption got off to a slow start following its debut last September, dinged by technical problems that required several updates. But the latest releases are generally more stable and offer more features than did the original release. Apple’s stats incorporate devices that have upgraded to iOS 8 as well as brand new iOS devices, so the 61.2 million in iPhone unit sales that Apple reported on Tuesday certainly contributed to the higher adoption rate.
The 81 percent adoption rate reveals a gradual but ongoing gain for iOS 8 from the 79 percent reported by Apple two weeks ago and the 77 percent recorded in March. Mobile analytics firm Mixpanel showed an 83.6 percent adoption rate for iOS 8 on Monday. Fellow analytics firm Fiksu came in slightly lower at 79.2 percent.
As iOS 8 gains more traction, iOS 9 also has to be on Apple’s agenda at this point. The company typically unveils each new iOS version at its WorldWide Developers Conference, which this year is scheduled to start on June 8. Naturally, Apple has been mum about its plans for iOS 9. But several reports claim the new version will focus more on greater stability and performance than on new features.
A greater focus on stability may be a wise strategy for iOS 9. The initial version of iOS 8 required several fixes, prompting a quick release of version 8.0.1. But 8.0.1 came saddled with even more glitches, requiring Apple to pull it and push out 8.0.2. Since then, Apple has been busy rolling out new updates with still more bug fixes, with iOS 8.3 being the latest version, launched early this month.
Along the way, Apple has also introduced new features via iOS 8. iOS 8.2 added support for the Apple Watch, which officially went on sale last Friday. iOS 8.3 added 300 new emoji characters and the ability to make speakerphone calls using Siri.
Apple is now working on iOS 8.4, which is in its second beta release and available to registered developers. The upcoming update introduces a new and redesigned Music app complete with a new MiniPlayer and better search features, according to MacRumors.
Apple did not immediately respond to CNET’s request for comment.
