Today, it is more difficult not to know android than it is to know the most popular operating system in the smartphone world. Google has brought the operating system a long way to make it the market leader in a very tight market which has surpassed the feature phones.

With a market share of 81.9% in the smartphone market in the last quarter (according to Gartner), it is safe to say Android is dominating the smartphone market. However, there are some facts you may not have heard before about Google’s operating system.

Google did not start Android


The Android operating system was developed by Android Inc. which was established in October 2003. Android Inc. which was founded by Andy Rubin, Chris White, Nick Sears and Rich Miner was later bought by Google who had been backing the company all along. The deal was struck in August 2005 at a price of $50 million.

Android officially launched in 2007

Google officially launched the operating system in November 2007. The operating system had initially been developed for cameras but Google saw a potential in the usage of the OS on smartphones which has come to pass today.

First Smartphone

The first ever smartphone to run on the Android operating system was the HTC Dream or T-Mobile G1 which was launched into the market in 2008.

Android has over a billion activations

Google’s Vice President for Android, Sundar Pichai, announced earlier in September this year that the Android operating system has attained over a billion activations on devices ranging from smartphones to tablets.

Naming

Apart from Android 1.0 and 1.1, all other Android versions have been named after sweet treats. Cupcake, Donut, Ice Cream Sandwich to name a few.

Naming Order

Android versions have been following an alphabetical order in their naming but many have failed to notice this. Android Astro (1.0) was followed by Bender (1.1) followed by Cupcake (1.5). This was followed by Donut (1.6), Éclair (2.0), Froyo (2.2.x), and Gingerbread (2.3.x). This was before Honeycomb (3.x), Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0.x) and Jelly Bean (4.3) entered the equation. Google announced the KitKat (4.4) recently as its latest OS. L..?

Android is open source

With Google being a member of Open Handset Alliance (OHA), android has given users or interested party access to modify the source code of the operating system. This has allowed users and smartphone manufacturers great flexibility in adding features to the operating system.

Android is free

Google offers Android operating system to smartphone manufacturers without payment for its license.

Google gains from Android

Despite offering the Android software free to smartphone manufacturers, Google will likely achieve its aim of becoming the mobile advertising king through android devices. Google makes its biggest revenue from advertising and this will pay off in the big way with the exodus of users from PCs to smartphones and tablets. It must be noted that Android dominates both categories.

There you have it, what do you think about these facts? What other interesting fact do you know about Google’s Android that we have omitted?

Source: lolade.com

Nice one OP, amazed with the naming order

Ehnnnnn! Tell me something!
I bet 'L' will be Limpopo Brandy

Kitty-cat = pu$y cat

Hmmm

Android 5.0 is Lime pie. Already announced once. You are correct dude

Intresting... thanks for sharing@op.

computerboy: Android 5.0 is Lime pie. Already announced once. You are correct dude

wrong. it was said that the next after 4.3 would be 5.0(key Lime Pie) but it turned out to be 4.4(kit kat).

Olumidzti:
Naming Order

Android versions have been following an alphabetical order in their naming but many have failed to notice this. Android Astro (1.0) was followed by Bender (1.1) followed by Cupcake (1.5). This was followed by Donut (1.6), Éclair (2.0), Froyo (2.2.x), and Gingerbread (2.3.x). This was before Honeycomb (3.x), Ice Cream Sandwich (4.x) and Jelly Bean (4.3) entered the equation. Google announced the KitKat (4.4) recently as its latest OS. L..?

jelly bean is 4.2

It would have made much sense if the OS is upgradeable/updateable, just like iOS

Ok, noted....

Interesting article.
Nice one @ op

Marthakingz: Ehnnnnn! Tell me something!
I bet 'L' will be Limpopo Brandy

or lollypop? lol

runzlord:
jelly bean is 4.2

Upgraded jelly bean is 4.3

android

Ok

Imagine developing a product for the over 1 billion android users, make all of us go learn software making on Android platform.

I Just got the Kit kat 4.4 OTA update on my Nexus 4 last night and the changes from Jelly Bean 4.3 are very subtle. It does feel snappier though. I am glad I returned my Nexus 5 becuase the Nexus 4 is still a beast and should still serve me well until the next nexus Phone is released in November 2014.

Op thanks for this information! Now I know more about my device

This update is AWESOME

Seriously, i don't understand, how is this piece of information useful to me??

@Op what about [Tecno]android? Abi dem never join the race?? Lwkmd.............Nice threat!!!

Abeg Ooooh.. Just a questıon frnds.. Apple fones do dey recıeve androıd apps ?

priscaoge: @Op what about [Tecno]android? Abi dem never join the race?? Lwkmd.............Nice threat!!!

Join the race of what?

waooo

What about android honey-pot?

it is well..#am stil usin my palasa#. 5.5 zigzag

By the time they exhaust the naming convention from A to Z. Then, they will start over again with African food like

Android 10.1 Akara/Akpu
Android 10.2 Banga
Android 10.2.1 Chin-chin
Android 11.0 Dodo
Android 11.0.2 Egusi
Android 12.0 Friedfish
Android 12.1.1 Garri

etc.....

Add your own....

Android rules!