Android is a Linux-based
operating system for mobile devices such as smartphones
and tablet computers, developed by Google
in conjunction with the Open Handset Alliance. Android was initially developed
by Android Inc, whom Google financially backed and later purchased in 2005. The
unveiling of the Android distribution in 2007 was announced with the founding
of the Open Handset Alliance, a consortium of 86 hardware,
software,
and telecommunication companies devoted to advancing open
standards for mobile devices. Google releases the Android code as open-source,
under the Apache License. The Android Open Source Project
(AOSP) is tasked with the maintenance and further development of Android.
Android has a large community of developers writing applications
("apps") that extend the functionality of the devices. Developers
write primarily in a customized version of Java,
and apps can be downloaded from online stores such as Google
Play (formerly Android Market), the app store run by Google, or
third-party sites. In June 2012, there were more than 600,000 apps available
for Android, and the estimated number of applications downloaded from Google
Play was 20 billion.
Android became the world’s leading smartphone platform at the end
of 2010. For the first quarter of 2012, Android had a 59% smartphone market
share worldwide.As of third quarter 2012, there were 400 million devices
activated and 1.3 million activations per day.
Foundation:
Android, Inc. was founded in Palo Alto, California, United States in October 2003 by
Andy
Rubin (co-founder of Danger),
Rich
Miner (co-founder of Wildfire Communications, Inc.), Nick Sears (once
VP at T-Mobile), and Chris White (headed design and interface development at WebTV)
to develop, in Rubin's words "...smarter mobile devices that are more
aware of its owner's location and preferences”. Despite the obvious past
accomplishments of the founders and early employees, Android Inc. operated
secretly, revealing only that it was working on software for mobile phones.
That same year, Rubin ran out of money. Steve
Perlman, a close friend of Rubin, brought him $10,000 in cash in an
envelope and refused a stake in the company.
Google
acquisition:
Google acquired Android Inc. on August 17, 2005, making Android
Inc. a wholly owned subsidiary of Google. Key employees of Android Inc.,
including Andy Rubin, Rich Miner and Chris White, stayed at the company after
the acquisition.
Not much was known about Android Inc. at the time of the acquisition, but many
assumed that Google was planning to enter the mobile
phone market with this move.
At Google, the team led by Rubin developed a mobile device platform powered
by the Linux kernel. Google marketed the platform to
handset makers and carriers on the promise of providing a flexible, upgradable system. Google
had lined up a series of hardware component and software partners and signaled
to carriers that it was open to various degrees of cooperation on their part.
Speculation about Google's intention to enter the mobile
communications market continued to build through December 2006. Reports from
the BBC
and The Wall Street Journal
noted that Google wanted its search and applications on mobile phones and it
was working hard to deliver that. Print and online media outlets soon reported
rumors that Google was developing a Google-branded handset.
Some speculated that as Google was defining technical specifications, it was
showing prototypes to cell phone manufacturers and network operators.
In September 2007, InformationWeek
covered an Evalueserve study reporting that Google had
filed several patent applications in the area of mobile telephony.
Open Handset
Alliance:
On November 5, 2007, the Open Handset Alliance, a consortium
of several companies which include Broadcom Corporation, Google,
HTC,
Intel, LG, Marvell Technology Group,
Motorola,
Nvidia,
Qualcomm,
Samsung Electronics, Sprint
Nextel, T-Mobile and Texas
Instruments unveiled itself. The goal of the Open Handset Alliance is to
develop open standards for mobile devices. On the same
day, the Open Handset Alliance also unveiled its first product, Android, a
mobile device platform built on the Linux
kernel version 2.6. On December 9, 2008, 14 new members joined,
including ARM Holdings, Atheros Communications, Asustek
Computer Inc, Garmin Ltd, Huawei Technologies, PacketVideo,
Softbank,
Sony Ericsson, Toshiba
Corp, and Vodafone Group Plc.
Android Open
Source Project:
The Android
Open Source Project (AOSP) is led by Google, and is tasked
with the maintenance and development of Android. According to the project
"The goal of the Android Open Source Project is to create a successful
real-world product that improves the mobile experience for end users."
AOSP also maintains the Android Compatibility Program, defining an
"Android compatible" device "as one that can run any application
written by third-party developers using the Android
SDK and NDK", to prevent incompatible Android implementations. The compatibility
program is also optional and free of charge, with the Compatibility Test
Suite also free and open-source.
Version
history:
Each version after "Astro" and "Bender" is
named in alphabetical order after a dessert
or sugary treat, with 1.5 "Cupcake" being the first and every update
since following this naming convention.
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Version
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Release date
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API level
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Distribution
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4.1.x Jelly Bean
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July 9, 2012
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16
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1.2%
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4.0.x Ice
Cream Sandwich
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October 19, 2011
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14-15
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20.9%
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3.x.x Honeycomb
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February 22, 2011
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11-13
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2.1%
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2.3.x Gingerbread
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December 6, 2010
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9-10
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57.5%
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2.2 Froyo
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May 20, 2010
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8
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14
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2.0, 2.1 Eclair
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October 26, 2009
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7
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3.7%
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1.6 Donut
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September 15, 2009
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4
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0.4%
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1.5 Cupcake
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April 30, 2009
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3
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0.2%
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