#Versions of android os software#
#Versions of android os license#

The device provides haptic feedback to the user via alerts such as vibrations to respond to actions. The default UI of Android relies on direct manipulation inputs such as tapping, swiping and pinching to initiate actions. It wasn't until Google released Android 1.5 in April 2009 that Google introduced Android's signature dessert-themed naming scheme the name of Android 1.5 was 'Cupcake.' Around the time of the release of Android 4.4 KitKat, Google released an official statement to explain the naming: 'Since these devices make our lives so sweet, each Android version is named after a dessert.' In 2019, however, Google abandoned the dessert names in a rebranding of Android Android 10 is simply known as Android Q. Google released the public beta version of Android 1.0 for developers around the same time of the alliance's announcement, in November 2007. The alliance's goal was to contribute to the development of the first open source platform for mobile devices.

#Versions of android os software#

The OHA was a coalition of more than 30 hardware, software and telecommunications companies, including Google, Qualcomm, Broadcom, HTC, Intel, Samsung, Motorola, Sprint, Texas Instruments and Japanese wireless carriers KDDI and NTT DoCoMo. In late 2007, the Open Handset Alliance (OHA) announced its formation.

Nevertheless, the HTC Dream, which was the first commercially available smartphone to run Android OS, featured a QWERTY keyboard and was met with some critical reception during its 2008 release.

The launch of the iPhone, however, changed the mobile computing market significantly and forced Android creators to support touchscreens more heavily. Previous prototypes of an Android phone closely resembled a BlackBerry, with a physical keyboard and no touchscreen. Google was discreetly developing Android OS when Apple released the iPhone in 2007. Google marketed the early mobile platform to handset manufacturers and mobile carriers with its major benefits as flexibility and upgradability. and its key employees in 2005 for at least $50 million. Originally, the company set out to develop an operating system for digital cameras, but it abandoned those efforts in lieu of reaching a broader market. History and developmentĪndroid began its life as a Palo Alto-based startup company called Android Inc., in 2003. Android is based on open source software, but most Android devices come preinstalled with a suite of proprietary software, such as Google Maps, YouTube, Google Chrome and Gmail.

#Versions of android os license#

Although the initial demonstrations of Android featured a generic QWERTY smartphone and large VGA screen, the operating system was written to run on relatively inexpensive handsets with conventional numeric keypads.Īndroid was released under the Apache v2 open source license this allows for many variations of the OS to be developed for other devices, such as gaming consoles and digital cameras. The Android platform includes an operating system based upon the Linux kernel, a GUI, a web browser and end-user applications that can be downloaded. Android OS is a Linux-based mobile operating system that primarily runs on smartphones and tablets.