Android

Android is the wildly popular, Linux-based operating system used on touchscreen mobile devices because of Google’s open source code that allows modification and integration for countless applications and innovative functionality.

Smartphones and tablets running Android have countless applications that assist, entertain, organize, and get users from point to point with relative ease. The Android operating system was launched in 2007 by Google-backed Android, Inc. Along with the system launch the Open Handset Alliance was born. This consortium was formed to coordinate all aspects of mobile computing with hardware, software, and telecommunication companies in order to establish open standards to facilitate seamless and relatively worry-free and consistent functionality. The first phone that ran Android software was available in October 2008.

The community that has formed since includes enthusiastic developers creating applications, now known simply as “Apps.” These are mini-computer applications written in an updated and modified version of the programming language, Java. As of the fall of 2012, there was an estimated 700K+ apps available for Android devices. Google Play, the primary app store for Android reported 25 billion downloads as of October 2012.

Developers have also found new markets for their app-creation skills in designing and launching custom applications for commercial business. These include news organizations, online and brick and mortar stores, non-profits, hospitals and health care providers, local governments, utilities, financial organizations, social networks, etc. The range and reasons for creating an app are almost unlimited.

The versatility and reliability of Android is also the most popular choice for tech companies looking for a lightweight and highly customizable operating system for their mobile devices. This is the driving force behind Android’s 75% share of the market with over 900 million devices using this system.