From June 30, Android Market will stop working on devices with Android OS 2.1 and below.

The fragmented software ecosystem of phones and other Android OC devices is a headache for application and game developers. They need to maintain compatibility simultaneously for many versions of this operating system. Some manage to create software that works on almost the entire line of Android. Others prefer to limit their software support to only a few versions of the OS, setting the lower limit to a not too long version.



This is exactly what Google developers have done now. In its blog, the company announced that Android devices with version 2.1 (Éclair) and lower from June 30 will become incompatible with the Android Market. We are talking about systems at least seven years old. Their percentage is insignificant in the total amount of various devices on Android, but developers have to take care that the created software is normally supported by outdated phones and tablets.



On newer systems, the Android Market will still work, but it is unclear how long it will last. Anyway, Google recommends updating Android Market on Google Play on phones and tablets with Android 2.2 (Froyo) and newer ones.



In principle, those users who still work for one reason or another with gadgets on the old version of Android, where Android Market will not be supported soon, will be able to install applications. For this you need to use alternative markets. There are a lot of them, and among other options there are excellent catalogs. For example, Aptoid is a market where there are a lot of indie applications and social programs. F-Droid works with open software, there are many alternatives to applications from the official Google Play market.



Google developers announced Google Play in 2012, deciding to completely rethink the Android Market. Instead of a simple catalog of applications, a store with software, books, games, music and even movies appeared on users' phones.