Data posted on Google's Android developers Web site reveals that Android 2.3 Gingerbread leads the Android operating system installation on smartphones, commanding a hefty 57.5 percent of the share.

The data posted was recorded over a 14-day period based on the number of Android run devices that accessed Google Play. The findings have come as a surprise since the Android 2.3 platform, which made its debut in December 2011, still rules the roost.

Additionally, the data revealed that with 20.9 percent share, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) is the second most commonly used Android platform for smartphones. Android 2.2 Froyo and the latest Android 4.1 Jelly Bean make up 14 percent and 1.2 percent of the share, respectively.

ICS has been made available for just around a year and is slowly gaining momentum. "Most cellular contracts are for a two year duration, we should be seeing a faster and faster change to more recent versions in the near future. As consumers pick up new phones over the next year, if they choose to stick with Android devices, we should be seeing ICS and Jelly Bean picking up a lot more market share," reports TechnoBuffalo

Since Motorola's recent Google acquisition, the company has launched several new smartphones. Similarly, other Android-based smartphone makers like Samsung, HTC, and LG have also unveiled their latest smartphones and tablets. Most of these devices are expected to come pre-loaded with ICS and promise an upgrade to Jelly Bean soon. Market leader Samsung's Note 2 even packs in the latest Android 4.1 Jelly Bean out of the box.

Additionally, recent reports have indicated that Android smartphones hold 52.2 percent of the market share, which augurs well for Google's Android OS. What's more with a slew of impending devices looking to take the Android route, the future for both ICS and Jelly Bean platforms seem promising.