Google did make a slight change in how it tracks and counts such information, however. Per the company’s Google+ post:

We’ve updated the way we calculate our device dashboards to make them even more useful, and have also updated the data on screen distribution. Note that as a result of these adjustments, some slices in the pie charts have changed more than usual.

The new device dashboards are based on the devices of users who visit the Google Play Store (rather than devices that have checked-in to Google servers). As a result, the dashboards more accurately reflect the users most engaged in the Android and Google Play ecosystem—and thus most likely to download and use your apps.

This change makes sense from a developer’s standpoint: Instead of counting devices that “check in” — something that could be a simple as signing in or syncing through a Google service — devices that actually visit the Google Play store are counted. Those are the ones that developers are interested in, of course.

Since Android 4.0 was introduced in late 2011, it also makes sense for developers to be focused on writing software that supports Android 4.0 or better. I’m not saying Android 2.3 devices shouldn’t be supported any longer — they still account for 39.8 percent of all Androids — but they’re older devices that are more likely to be upgraded soon through a new hardware purchase. Developers will get the most bang for their buck by targeting Ice Cream Sandwich and Jelly Bean devices.

The hardware cycle refresh and momentum from handset makers to deliver Android 4.0 or better on new phones is partly why I said in October we’d hit this tipping point in four to six months. Lo and behold, six months later, that’s where we are.

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The uptake of Android 4.0 and its sub-versions of late has been quick. In October, I saw that 1 in 4 devices visiting Google Play used Android 4.0 or better. At that time, I suggested that we’d see half of all Androids use recent versions of software within four to six months. We’re not at the halfway mark yet, but it’s only been four months. With the acceleration of phones and tablets running newer software, I won’t be surprised to see us reaching the tipping point next month.

Clearly helping this phenomenon is Android’s changing pace. It has slowed over the past year or so, and that’s a good thing. It means that Android is more on par with iOS and other platforms than ever before. That’s part of the reason some prominent long-time iPhone users are now checking out Android — listen to our latest podcast to hear more on that topic, because there are other reasons as well.

Hardware makers have also “caught” up to the software changes. Even after Android 4.0 arrived in late 2011, it took a good six months for phones to ship with a recent version of Android. By and large many of these now ship with Android 4.1 and not Android 4.2, but the differences between the versions aren’t that great. If the average consumer were to compare an Android 4.1 phone to one with Android 4.2, it’s safe to say they’d be hard pressed to tell the two apart.

The feature differences brought by distributed Android software updates has been a key target for iOS users when looking to criticize Android. These points have definitely had merit; particularly early on in Android’s life-cycle. But I’d argue that Google’s issue has largely diminished and it’s really not that different on iOS; it’s just handled differently.

Some iOS features found in software aren’t applicable to older devices and yet, these are reported as having the same version of iOS as devices that can use the new features. The last three iPad models Apple has produced can run iOS 6, which includes Siri, for example, but only Apple’s third- and fourth generation iPad’s can actually use Siri; different code is actually pushed by Apple to different devices, yet all have the same public version number.

Regardless of which platform you use, this should help Android developers target more devices for mobile apps. And they shouldn’t have to worry as much about version numbers or supported API levels as more Androids run newer versions of the platform.

This story was updated at 2:18 pm to correct the point about iOS 6 compatibility with iPads. Originally, the post incorrectly stated that all iPads can run it.

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The Optimus Pro G goes on sale this week in South Korea, carrying Android “Jelly Bean” 4.1.2. According to a release in Korean, it will then make its way to North America and Japan in the second quarter of this year. An LG spokeswoman in London was unable to confirm European availability plans.

So, what are we looking at? Size-wise, the Optimus Pro G is an ever-so-slightly smaller rival to the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 — same thickness and screen size, but 0.9mm narrower and a good 4.4mm shorter. However, LG has made the jump to full HD: with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, the Pro G has a pixel density of 400ppi, versus the Note 2′s 267ppi. It lack’s the Note 2′s stylus, though.

Inside, the Pro G uses a 1.7GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 chipset; a slight step up from the 1.6GHz processor in the Note 2. Incidentally, this is the first outing for the Snapdragon 600, which is a successor to last year’s Snapdragon S4 series (its twin, the sequel to the S4 Pro, will be called the Snapdragon 800).

More pixels and processing power usually mean more power-drain. On this front, LG is touting the “largest battery capacity in its class” at 3,140mAh, but that’s not really much more than the Note 2′s 3,100mAh. LG also hasn’t quoted the device’s weight yet, so it’s hard to see how that compares with the Note 2′s 183g. The Note 2 has an 8MP camera and the Pro G a 13MP affair, but, given the size of a smartphone camera’s sensor, image quality will be more down to the lens and software than the megapixel count here.

Custom tweaks include “an upgraded QSlide” (LG’s answer to Samsung’s multitasking Pop-up Play feature), QuickMemo and a feature called Virtual Reality Panorama, which looks on paper to be precisely the same as Android’s stock 360-degree Photo Sphere function. The Pro G can also record video through both front- and rear-facing camera simultaneously, and it also features wireless charging.

How does this all compare with Samsung’s largest smartphone / smallest tablet? On paper, certainly, this looks to be an improvement on the Note 2, but then again there will probably be a Note 3 this year, also capitalizing on the latest chipsets and quite probably also upping the pixel count. It certainly doesn’t look like LG has done anything particularly groundbreaking here, so the real test of the Pro G’s success or otherwise will be its as-yet-unannounced pricing.

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Depending on which Samsung processor is used — that information isn’t yet available or speculated — the cost of the eight-inch tablet could undercut Apple’s small slate. That would add appeal for cost-conscious shoppers. I also think the addition of Samsung’s S-Pen and supporting software are differentiators too; something I didn’t value greatly until I used the combination on my Galaxy Note 2.

Based on the limited, and unofficial, data so far, the Note 8.0 is expected to have a 1280 x 800 Super Clear LCD screen, 2 GB of memory, and be available in both Wi-Fi and 3G models. The device will reportedly run Android 4.2 with Samsung’s TouchWiz software interface.

Other Samsung slates gained an Android update this week but not to version 4.2. Instead, the Galaxy Note 10.1 and Galaxy Tab 2 each received Android 4.1. The software is specific to the Wi-Fi models of the two tablets.

Both will get the performance boosts of Google’s Project Butter effort as well as improvements in the user interface and notifications. The larger of the two slates also gains Samsung’s Premium Suite, adding greater functionality for the S-Pen and multi-window support.

Among other leaks and expected devices at the MWC is LG’s Optimus Pro. A rendering and spec sheet for the device appeared on Engadget, showing a 5-inch Android Jelly Bean handset with 1080p display. Other hardware bits include a 13 megapixel rear camera, 2.4 megapixel front sensor, 2 GB of memory, 32 GB of storage and a 1.7 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro chip for the LTE device.

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Android 4.1, introduced in June, brings a number of useful enhancements to mobile devices. The Google Now assistant and search tool is part of this version as are the improved Android notifications: It’s much easier to take action on notifications in this version of the software. There are plenty of other features in the update, but the most noticeable may be the result of Google’s Project Butter. This effort optimizes and improves device performance, so owners of the Note 10.1 and Tab 2 should see better device responsiveness.

While the Tab 2 doesn’t have a stylus, the Note 10.1 does. And that’s why the latter is also getting the Premium Suite with this upgrade. I’ve covered the software before, mainly because my Galaxy Note 2 already has the suite. This software added multi-window capability on my phone and it gets even better on the Note 2: You can resize app windows on the larger 10.1-inch tablet.

Other Premium Suite features include hover mode and gesture support for the S-Pen, Paper Artist, an optimized file manager, Photo Note annotations, and more.

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Only two months prior that figure was under 30 percent; in 60 days the total percentage of Android 4.x users hitting the Google Play store increased 10.8 points. And devices running the most common Android version, Gingerbread, finally dropped to under one half of all smartphones and tablets running Android: 47.6 percent are using some variant of Android 2.3.

Both trends should continue accelerating as most Android 2.3 devices aren’t getting more software updates. Instead, users will transition to newer smartphones and tablets that run Android 4.0 or better. I’m still holding to my prediction from last October: “In four to six months, the majority of Android devices are running on Android 4.0 or better.”

Something that all Android devices will benefit from are digital magazines. Android Police learned that print subscribers to certain magazine titles can easily get the digital version due to a change in the Google Play store.

There’s now a Play store option to get the title digital, if the publisher provides free digital access to subscribers. The action appears seamless and should make the overall digital magazine experience better on Androids.

While I don’t expect any blockbuster news out of Samsung at next week’s Consumer Electronics Show, the company is surely working on a successor to its best-selling Galaxy S III. Logic dictates this will be the Galaxy S4 and a leaked image of the alleged device appeared this week. SamMobile shows a phone that unsurprisingly looks like a larger Galaxy S3, but with a thinner bezel and no hardware home button.

The rumored Galaxy S4 will reportedly use a 5-inch display with full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080. Samsung’s next generation Exynos is sure to power the smartphone; possibly in a 2 GHz configuration. Again, Samsung isn’t expected to debut such a device at CES. It’s far more likely that any new Galaxy flagship will debut at Samsung’s own press event a few months from now.

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Although this won’t be the most current version of Android — Verizon customers are getting Android 4.1, not 4.2 — the Jelly Bean software brings many useful features including Google Now, improvements to Samsung’s S-Voice software, expandable notifications, a Swype keyboard option, and resizeable widgets. Also part of the update are the following:

• Device is enabled for Global Roaming in over 205 countries worldwide
• Improved connectivity and reliability when syncing Google and POP-3 e-mail accounts.
• Enhancements made to improve accuracy of predictive text.
• Automatic Set Up option has been enabled when setting up a Road Runner email account.
• Improved accuracy and reliability of Weather application.
• Visual Voicemail has been updated to ensure proper delivery of notifications.
• Fixed resets that were sometimes seen when trying to connect to a VPN client.
• Support for opening attachments in .ics format.
• Now supports Software Upgrade Assistant; installs and runs automatically when plugged in to your computer’s USB port.
• Missed Call Log has been updated to ensure accuracy.
• Enhancements have been made to ensure the reliability of Back Up Assistant Plus.
• Improvements made to automatically reconnect to known previously used Wi-Fi hot spots.
• Verizon Accessories Application has been added as a preload.

It’s a shame that Verizon isn’t pushing out Android 4.2, but the scope of changes from 4.0 to 4.1 are much bigger. While some Galaxy S III owners will still be pining for the latest version of Android, this version will surely make a good phone even better.

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Gone are the emails with text that doesn’t fit your screen in this new version of Gmail. Instead, messages will be fit to the screen. Don’t worry though: If you can’t read the text, you can now pinch to zoom on email content or you can turn off auto-fit on messages in the Gmail settings.

Another great setting is to enable a swipe to archive function for faster email management. Also included is support for image thumbnails, which you can tap and view in your Gallery.

As of the beginning of November, 28.5 percent of all Android devices hitting the Google Play market during a two-week period were running Android 4.0 or better and would be able to use the new Gmail features. I already have the update and it certainly makes the email experience much better, so if your device supports it, I’d go get it!

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Echofon for Android has been in public beta since the beginning of November and that app is still available in a free, ad-supported version. If you like the beta, you can opt to pay $4.99 for the Pro version which is now available in Google Play. Here’s a look at the client on an Android device:

Support for all the Twitter basics are in there: in-app image view, a Jump to Top option, the sync feature and Jelly Bean notifications; helpful if your Android device is running  Android 4.1 or better. You can reply or retweet, for example, directly from the Android notifications pane. That’s a nice time-saver. Even better is a full-featured widget that puts Echofon on an Android home screen: It shows the number of unread tweets, mentions, DMs and lets you compose new tweets with a button tap. And a quick left or right swipe moves you between different views.

I keep coming back to the sync function as a key advantage, however. It gets old when you switch to a different mobile device and have to reread various mentions, interactions or direct messages. With Echofon, I don’t have to worry about that as I hate reading the same content over and over.

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Hardware: It’s the Galaxy Nexus; only better

I’ve been using the Nexus 4 for the last two weeks and prior to that, my main phone for most of the last year was Nexus 4′s predecessor: the Galaxy Nexus. This successor handset may be best described as the Galaxy Nexus evolved. The Nexus 4 feels like a more premium-built device with Corning’s Gorilla Glass 2 on the front and back. Along the sides the phone has a rubberized, grippy material that feels good in hand. And the flat glass back means no protruding hump for a speaker like the prior model had. In short: This is a sleek, comfortable device that you won’t mind holding. About that speaker on the back: it’s not as loud as I’d like it; similar to the last Nexus. But call quality in general is good.

The 4.7-inch IPS display offers a 1280 x 768 resolution and to my eye, looks better than that of the Galaxy Nexus. Colors are vivid, but not over-saturated and everything is crisp and bright. The button layout is the same as the old Nexus: Power/wake on the right, volume rocker on the left and micro-USB port on the bottom. The headphone jack is up top now and a micro-SIM door is on the right. The Nexus 4 has a 2100 mAh integrated battery and with the glass back, there’s no way to get at it. I’ve been able to get through nearly every day of usage on a single charge, however. There’s no support for additional memory expansion, which is a bit of a let-down, even though I faced the same on last year’s model.

Inside is Qualcomm’s 1.5 GHz quad-core Snapdragon Pro paired with a generous 2 GB of memory and an Adreno 320 GPU. This combination makes Android fly, no matter what activities you throw at it. Browsing, email, games: You name it; all are fast. While you can close apps by hitting the recent apps software button and swiping the software off screen, I’ve stopped doing so with the Nexus 4: There’s simply no need with this hardware configuration because the phone is a powerhouse. Hard-core, heavy duty users may want to free up memory from time to time but  most folks won’t bother.

Much improved over last year’s Nexus is the 8-megapixel rear camera sensor, which is backside illuminated, and LED flash. Images and videos are noticeably better and on par with most other high-end handsets, save perhaps for the iPhone 5 and some Nokia Lumia phones. While stills and videos (up to 1080p) look quite good, the camera isn’t the fastest I’ve used, which surprises me, given the hardware inside. Letting the camera auto-focus on its own isn’t always quick when tapping the shutter button and I find myself pre-focusing with a screen tap more often than not as a result. The front-facing 1.3 megapixel camera works fine for video chat or a quick self-portrait.

Let’s talk LTE and HSPA+

All of the expected connectivity and sensor options are present: dual-band 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi; Bluetooth; GPS; NFC; accelerometer; gyroscope; compass; and even support for wireless charging (which I wasn’t able to test). As an unlocked GSM phone, the Nexus 4 supports typical voice network frequencies as well as HSPA+ channels for both T-Mobile and AT&T in the US. But — and this could be a sticking point for some — there’s no LTE compatibility.

I see this as a trade-off of sorts and it’s a personal choice if you want to accept the trade-off or not. The handset supports both HSPA+ and dual-carrier HSPA+ up to a theoretical 42 Mbps. In the right coverage areas then, the dual-carrier HSPA+ speeds can come close to that of an LTE network. I used a T-Mobile micro-SIM in the Nexus 4 but I don’t live in an area where T-Mobile provides 42 Mbps service.

As a result, my typical speedtests showed latency averaging 90 milliseconds, downloads topping 9 Mbps, and uploads approaching 1.6 Mbps. However, Myriam Joire, an Engadget review I know and trust personally, managed several speedtests in a 42 Mbps coverage area and routinely saw Nexus 4 throughput at 2 to 3 times my own experience. See her test result here (left) topping 27 Mbps down and 3.6 Mbps back up, for example.

So how much of a letdown is the lack of LTE? That’s up to you and could be based on where you live due to coverage areas. I’m quite fine with the HSPA+ speeds on the Nexus 4; particularly because I heavily supplement my connectivity with wireless hotspots. LTE is a nice to have for sure, but it’s going to cost you on a monthly basis. Since the Nexus 4 only supports HSPA+ and can be had without contract, you can shop around for an HSPA+ plan: I use a $45 month Straight Talk SIM but others may opt for the $30 T-Mobile deal at WalMart. With each, you’re getting full HSPA+ speeds but for much less on a monthly basis when compared to LTE.

Software: Best Android version yet

The Nexus 4 is the first phone to ship with Android 4.2. While other Nexus devices will get the software too, new Nexus 4 owners will be the envy of the Android smartphone world. There aren’t a massive amount of changes in this version of the software, which is stock on the Nexus 4, meaning it’s “pure” Android, without any user interface overlays. The lack of big changes shows that Android has matured to the point where it needs only minor tweaks and feature adds; something that I think will unify the platform as a whole.

There are few nice new user interface changes, however. The notification shade has a new one-touch Quick Settings options for easy access to device settings. You can also take action on a small set of notifications such as returning a missed call. A new keyboard option is included as well.

Fans of the Swype keyboard will be happy to hear that a gesture-based keyboard is now included. Using a single finger, you trace your words on the keyboard for fast input. Although I’m not a fan of this method — I use two thumbs to type on all of my phones — I can vouch for Google’s effort here as it works well and includes word prediction by tapping the space button.

Also new here is support for lock-screen widgets: Swipe the lock screen to the left and you’ll immediately be in the Camera app, for example. Swipe to the right and you can add several other widgets that show information on a locked device ranging from Calendar appointments, the Gmail Inbox, Messaging app or Sound Search, a Shazam-like app that identifies a song. Testing this last widget worked really well: The app never failed to get the right song and, of course, it provides a link to purchase the music in Google Play. I love having this — and other information — right on the lock screen for fast access.

The new Photo Sphere feature is interesting. With it you’re guided through a series of still images all around you and the phone then renders them into a single interactive image. It works OK indoors but is much better outdoors in my opinion as images with many straight lights show numerous alignment issues. You can share these pics, but only in a wide, landscape view for now

Is the Nexus 4 for you?

For those wanting a high-end, cutting-edge Android experience and can do without LTE, I see no reason to pass this phone up, although I’d recommend the 16 GB model due to the lack of memory expansion. Even with 16 GB, you’ll need to take heavy advantage of cloud storage for music and video streaming, not to mention the saving of pictures and videos. I’ve survived with a 16 GB Galaxy Nexus for more than a year, so while that’s not desirable, it’s not impossible.

As far as the Nexus line as a whole, my general strategy has been to upgrade every other Nexus. I bought the Nexus One but passed on the Nexus S, for example. I then upgraded to the Galaxy Nexus last year. For the first time, Google has created a phone that made me pause and rethink my strategy. Why? Because the Nexus 4 is that much better than my Galaxy Nexus and costs nearly 40 percent less than what I paid for the prior model.

Some may opt for the popular Samsung Galaxy S III which packs LTE but there’s a key difference here: The Nexus 4 will get software updates much faster than Samsung’s best selling Android phone. And like most other Android devices, the GS III uses Samsung’s TouchWiz overlay; not necessarily a bad thing, but pure Android is actually nice to use. Besides, you could always add a third-party launcher to the Nexus 4 if you wanted to.

This new handset is improved in every way and if I hadn’t recently purchased a Galaxy Note 2, I likely would be buying this new Nexus handset. It’s that good. In fact, I think it competes well against the latest offerings that run iOS or Windows Phone. And that’s what the Nexus should be for Google: A flagship line of devices that either lead the pack or are at least in the mix for the best currently available phones and tablets on the market.

Note that if you want to save some up-front money, you can buy the Nexus 4 directly from T-Mobile for $199 with a contract.

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