Content deleted Content added
Improved interface description |
ClueBot NG (talk | contribs) m Reverting possible vandalism by 24.57.206.180 to version by Donner60. False positive? Report it. Thanks, ClueBot NG. (1733302) (Bot) |
||
Line 30:
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 | 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.
Android's share of the global smartphone market, led by
==History==
Line 46:
In 2010, Google launched its [[Google Nexus|Nexus]] series of devices—a line of smartphones and tablets running the Android operating system, and built by a manufacturer partner. HTC collaborated with Google to release the first Nexus smartphone,<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/mar/14/google-mobile-phone-launch-delay |title=Google forced to delay British launch of Nexus phone |publisher=guardian.co.uk |date=March 14, 2010 |author=Richard Wray |___location=London |accessdate=2012-02-17}}</ref> the [[Nexus One]]. The series has since been updated with newer devices, such as the [[Nexus 4]] phone and [[Nexus 10]] tablet, made by [[LG]] and Samsung respectively. Google releases the Nexus phones and tablets to act as their [[Flagship#Flagship as metaphor|flagship]] Android devices, demonstrating Android's latest software and hardware features. On March 13, 2013, it was announced by [[Larry Page]] in a blog post that Andy Rubin had moved from the Android division to take on new projects at Google.<ref>{{cite web|author=Charles Arthur |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2013/mar/13/andy-rubin-google-move |title=Andy Rubin moved from Android to take on 'moonshots' at Google | Technology | guardian.co.uk |publisher=Guardian |date=|accessdate=2013-03-14}}</ref> He was replaced by [[Sundar Pichai]], who also continues his role as the head of Google's Chrome division,<ref>{{cite web|last=Page |first=Larry |url=http://googleblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/update-from-ceo.html |title=Official Blog: Update from the CEO |publisher=Googleblog.blogspot.co.uk |date=|accessdate=2013-03-14}}</ref> which develops [[Google Chrome OS|Chrome OS]].
Since 2008, Android has seen [[Android version history|numerous updates]] which have incrementally improved the operating system, adding new features and fixing bugs in previous releases. Each major release is named in alphabetical order after a dessert or sugary treat; for example, version 1.5 ''Cupcake'' was followed by 1.6 ''Donut''. The latest released version is 4.3 ''Jelly Bean'' and version 4.4, ''[[KitKat]]'', was announced on September 3, 2013.<ref name=
==Description==
Line 126:
Google currently uses their [[Google Bouncer]] malware scanner to watch over and scan the Google Play store apps.<ref>{{cite web|last=Chirgwin|first=Richard|title=Google Bouncer flaw|url=http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/06/04/breaking_google_bouncer/|work=Tech news site and blog|publisher=The Register|accessdate=20 November 2012}}</ref> It is intended to flag up suspicious apps and warn users of any potential issues with an application before they download it.<ref>{{cite web|last=Whittaker |first=Zack |url=http://www.zdnet.com/google-building-malware-scanner-for-google-play-report-7000005780/ |title=Google building malware scanner for Google Play: report |publisher=ZDNet |date=2012-10-15 |accessdate=2012-11-09}}</ref> Android version 4.2 ''Jelly Bean'' was released in 2012 with enhanced security features, including a malware scanner built into the system, which works in combination with Google Play but can scan apps installed from third party sources as well, and an alert system which notifies the user when an app tries to send a premium-rate text message, blocking the message unless the user explicitly authorises it.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.computerworld.com/android/21259/android-42-security |title=Exclusive: Inside Android 4.2's powerful new security system | Computerworld Blogs |publisher=Blogs.computerworld.com |date=2012-11-01 |accessdate=2012-11-09}}</ref>
Android smartphones have the ability to report the ___location of [[Wi-Fi]] access points, encountered as phone users move around, to build databases containing the physical locations of hundreds of millions of such access points. These databases form electronic maps to locate smartphones, allowing them to run apps like [[Foursquare]], [[Google Latitude]], [[Facebook Places]], and to deliver ___location-based ads.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/09/technology/09google.html?scp=1&sq=Skyhook%20Wireless%20v.%20Google%20Case%20Yields%20E-Mail%20Insight&st=cse |title=Suit Opens a Window Into Google |author=Steve Lohr |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=May 8, 2011 |issn=0362-4331 |accessdate=2012-02-16}}</ref> Third party monitoring software such as TaintDroid,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://appanalysis.org/faq.html |title=AppAnalysis.org: Real Time Privacy Monitoring on Smartphones |accessdate=2012-02-21}}</ref> an academic research-funded project, can, in some cases, detect when personal information is being sent from applications to remote servers.<ref>{{cite web|last=Ganapati |first=Priya |url=http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/09/data-collection-android/ |title=Study Shows Some Android Apps Leak User Data Without Clear Notifications | Gadget Lab |publisher=Wired.com |date=September 30, 2010 |accessdate=2012-01-30}}</ref> In August 2013, Google released the Android Device Manager, a component that allows users to remotely track, locate, and wipe their Android device through an online interface. As it is implemented through Google Play Services instead of within Android itself, it is available to most Android devices with version 2.2 and higher.<ref name="ars-googleplayservices"
The open-source nature of Android allows security contractors to take existing devices and adapt them for highly secure uses. For example Samsung has worked with General Dynamics through their [[Open Kernel Labs]] acquisition to rebuild ''Jelly Bean'' on top of their hardened microvisor for the "Knox" project.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/02/28/general_dynamics/ |title=Air-to-ground rocket men flog top-secret mobe-crypto to Brad in accounts |publisher=The Register |date=2013-02-28 |accessdate=2013-08-08}}</ref><ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/28/technology/samsung-armors-android-to-take-on-blackberry.html "Samsung Armors Android to Take On BlackBerry."]</ref>
==Intelligence agency access==
It was revealed as apart of the [[2013 mass surveillance disclosures]] that the American and British intelligence agencies, the [[National Security Agency]] (NSA) and the [[Government Communications Headquarters]] (GCHQ) respectively, have access to the user data in iPhones, Blackberries, and Android phones. They are able to read almost all smartphone information, including SMS, ___location, emails, and notes.<ref name=
== Licensing ==
Line 217:
| 12
| 0%
|-
| style="text-align:center;" | '''[[Android 2.3|2.3.3–2.3.7]]'''
| ''[[Android 2.3|Gingerbread]]''
| |||