In an update from January 2016, Ionic's CEO Max Lynch announced a shift in the supported Android versions for Ionic 1 and 2, focusing on Android 4.1 and above while discontinuing support for versions 4.0.x and earlier. This decision was influenced by the rapid decline in the usage of older Android versions and the significant improvements in mobile browser APIs, which enhance mobile web experiences. Developers are advised to use Crosswalk for Android versions below 4.4, due to its superior performance compared to the fragmented stock Android browsers of the 4.x era. The update aligns with Ionic's forward-looking approach, shedding outdated software that hinders mobile web advancement, and is supported by Google's Android market share statistics as of January 2016.