As we know it quite well that Android is one of the most widely used mobile OS. Android is an open source Linux based Operating system written in java and C programming language which is developed by Google for mobile devices and tablets.
Mostly people use Android OS because it is so powerful and easy to use as well as Google keep working over this platform to make it more users compatible and efficient.
Release:
The initial release of Android operating system captured on September 23, 2008.
Key Members & Founders Of Android
Initially, Android Inc. was founded in California in October, 2003 by Andy Rubin(Co-founder of Danger Inc), Rich Miner(Co-Founder of Wildfire Communications Inc.) , Nick Sears ( Former VP at T-Mobile) and Chris White (Employee at WebTV).
Revolution Phase Of Android
Phase 1 :
- At start, Android Inc. was designed to develop an operating system for Digital Cameras. But later on, the plan was changed as the market for Digital Camera devices was not large so they moved the intention to produce an operating system for Smartphones which would compete with Microsoft Windows Phones and Symbian and all this initiatives were secret in the company.
- In mid of 2005, Google took over Android Inc. for $50 million with their key founder members like Rubin, Miner and White. In initial phase at Google, Rubin and his team developed a mobile device platform powered by the Linux kernel and it was promoted for marketing to the handset makers with promise of providing an advanced system phones.
- Later in the December 2006, the prototyped designed was prepared in such type so that it could come closer to BlackBerry with no touchscreen and much alike QWERTY keyboard but they had managed to redesign a touchscreen supported android operating system device to compete with that time announced touchscreen devices like Apple iphone and LG phones.
- In 2007, Some of devices manufactures like HTC, Samsung and Sony came up with a goal to design and develop open standards for mobile devices which is based on Linux Kernal and enabled with Android operating system. So the first commercially was released in October,2008, that is HTC Dream.
Android Updates And Version:
Since then, Android has made number of updates with adding numerous features with better graphical user interface for users. Simultaneously fixing bugs in previous versions. Each of Android Versions have the name in alphabetical order based on desserts or treat which as follows :
- First two versions 1.0 and 1.1 were not released with specific code names with API level of 1 and 2 but later on it starts with ‘C’ for next versions.
- Android Version 1.5 Cupcake (2009) with API Level of 3
- Android Version 1.6 Donut (2009) with API Level of 4
- Android Version 2.0-2.1 Eclair (2009) with API Level of 5-7
- Android Version 2.2-2.2.3 Froyo (2010) with API Level of 8
- Android Version 2.3-2.3.7 Gingerbread (2011) with API Level of 9-10
- Android Version 3.0-3.2.6 HoneyComb (2011) with API level of 11-13
- Android Version 4.0-4.0.4 Ice cream Sandwitch (2011) with API Level of 14-15
- Android Version 4.1-4.3.1 Jelly Bean(2012-2013) with API Level of 16-18
- Android Version 4.4-4.4.4 Kitkat (2013) with API level of 19-20
- Android Version 5.0-5.1.1 Lollipop (2014-2015) with API Level of 21-22
- Android Version 6.0-6.0.1 MarshMallow (2015) with API Level of 23
- Android Version 7.0 Nougat (August or September 2016) with API level of 24
Phase II :
- In 2010, Google launched its Nexus series of devices like smartphones and tablets embedded with an android operating system, and built by manufacturing partners like HTC which launched NEXUS ONE and then further NEXUS 5 manufactured by LG and NEXUS 7 tablet by ASUS.
- From 2010-2013, Google Now, Google Voice Search, Speech recognition products was launched as to compete with Apple’s Siri.
- In 2013, the big news came from Larry Page that Andy Rubin had moved from Android division to work on new Google Projects and he was replaced by Indian NRI Sundar Pichai who was first came into recognition as a head of Android and Chrome Operation system and later , Sundar Pichai became CEO of Google.
- From 2013-2015, Google offered Google play services on devices which offers the users to download various android applications from Google Store which was initially free for all but later they came up with free and paid applications.