Android (operating system): Difference between revisions

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'''Android''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|æ|n|.|d|r|ɔɪ|d}}; {{respell|an|droyd}}) is a [[Linux]]-based [[mobile operating system|operating system]]<ref name="AndroidOverview" /> designed primarily for [[touchscreen]] mobile devices such as [[smartphone]]s and [[tablet computer]]s. Initially developed by Android, Inc., which [[Google]] backed financially and later bought in 2005,<ref name="AndroidInc">{{cite web |url=http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/aug2005/tc20050817_0949_tc024.htm |title=Google Buys Android for Its Mobile Arsenal |last=Elgin |first=Ben |date=August 17, 2005 |work=Bloomberg Businessweek |publisher=Bloomberg |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5wk7sIvVb |archivedate=February 24, 2011 |accessdate=2012-02-20 |quote=In what could be a key move in its nascent wireless strategy, Google (GOOG) has quietly acquired startup Android, Inc.,&nbsp;...}}</ref> Android was unveiled in 2007 along with the founding of the [[Open Handset Alliance]]: a consortium of [[computer hardware|hardware]], software, and telecommunication companies devoted to advancing [[open standard]]s for mobile devices.<ref name="AndroidAnnouncement">{{cite press release |url=http://www.openhandsetalliance.com/press_110507.html |title=Industry Leaders Announce Open Platform for Mobile Devices |publisher=[[Open Handset Alliance]] |date=November 5, 2007 |accessdate=2012-02-17}}</ref> The [[HTC Dream|first Android-powered phone]] was sold in October 2008.<ref>{{cite web|title=T-Mobile G1 Spec|url=http://www.gsmarena.com/t_mobile_g1-2533.php|work=Infosite and comparisons|publisher=GSM Arena|accessdate=September 12, 2012}}</ref>

Android is [[open source]] and Google releases the code under the [[Apache License]].<ref name="AndroidOverview">{{cite web |url=http://www.openhandsetalliance.com/android_overview.html |publisher=Open Handset Alliance |title=Android Overview |accessdate=2012-02-15}}</ref> This open-source code and permissive licensing allows the software to be freely modified and distributed by device manufacturers, wireless carriers and enthusiast developers. Additionally, Android has a large community of developers writing applications ("[[Mobile app|apps]]") that extend the functionality of devices, written primarily in a customized version of the [[Java (programming language)|Java]] programming language.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-13580_3-9815495-39.html |title=Google's Android parts ways with Java industry group |work=[[CNET News]] |first=Stephen |last=Shankland |date=November 12, 2007 |accessdate=2012-02-15}}</ref> In October 2012, there were approximately 7001,000,000 apps available for Android, and the estimated number of applications downloaded from [[Google Play]], Android's primary app store, was 2550 billion as of Sep 2013.<ref name="appstats-700000">{{cite web |url=http://www.tomsguide.com/us/Google-Play-Android-Apple-iOS,news-16235.html |title=Google Play Matches Apple's iOS With 700,000 Apps}}</ref><ref name="appstats-25billion">{{cite web |url=http://officialandroid.blogspot.ca/2012/09/google-play-hits-25-billion-downloads.html |title=Google Play hits 25 billion downloads &#124; Official Android Blog}}</ref> A developer survey conducted in April–May 2013 found that Android is the most popular platform for developers, used by 71% of the mobile developer population.<ref>Developer Economics Q3 2013 analyst report – http://www.visionmobile.com/DevEcon3Q13 – Retrieved July 2013</ref>

These factors have contributed towards making Android the world's most widely used smartphone platform,<ref name="canalysQ42010">{{cite web |url=http://www.canalys.com/newsroom/google%E2%80%99s-android-becomes-world%E2%80%99s-leading-smart-phone-platform |title=Google's Android becomes the world's leading smart phone platform |work=Canalys |date=January 31, 2011 |accessdate=2012-02-15}}</ref> overtaking [[Symbian]] in the fourth quarter of 2010,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.phonearena.com/news/Android-steals-Symbians-Top-Smartphone-OS-crown_id16332 |title=Android steals Symbian's top smartphone OS crown |publisher=Phonearena.com |date=|accessdate=2013-05-14}}</ref> and the software of choice for technology companies who require a low-cost, customizable, lightweight operating system for [[high tech]] devices without developing one from scratch.<ref name="ars5th" /> As a result, despite being primarily designed for phones and tablets, it has seen additional applications on televisions, [[games console]]s, [[digital camera]]s and other electronics. Android's open nature has further encouraged a large community of developers and enthusiasts to use the open-source code as a foundation for community-driven projects, which add new features for advanced users<ref name="apolroms" /> or bring Android to devices which were officially released running other operating systems.