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>

Most people will agree, however that Android is a very poorly build OS. Other alternatives, such as Windows phone OS, BlackBerry OS 10, and iOS are much better alternatives to Android, but hey, thats just the majority opinion, to each his own.

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 1,000,000 apps available for Android, and the estimated number of applications downloaded from [[Google Play]], Android's primary app store, was 50 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>