Android powered devices like mobile phones, tablet computers and home appliances are everywhere nowadays. It is a delight for us to experience a high technology which is less expensive, more powerful and efficient. You know what Android is, you might be grateful, and now you are asking…
“Who are the developers of Android?”
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| Android growth in device activations. Image from Android Developers. |
Who are the people behind this amazing technology? Today’s article focuses on bringing you a brief answer to that question. So here it is – I think there are three major developers of Android, they are:
- Open Handset Alliance
- End Users
Google bought Android Inc. on August 2005, and that makes Google as the lead developer of the Android platform. Under Google, Android has seen many updates which vastly improved the operating system. Major version names were named after a sweet dessert:
- Android 1.5 – Cupcake (April 2009)
- Android 1.6 – Donut (September 2009)
- Android 2.0 – Eclair (October 2009)
- Android 2.2 – Froyo (May 2010)
- Android 2.3 – Gingerbread (December 2010)
- Android 3.0 – Honeycomb (February 2011)
- Android 4.0 – Ice Cream Sandwich (October 2011)
- Android 4.1 – Jelly Bean (July 2012)
- Android 5.0 – Key Lime Pie (Unofficial, expected to be released this second quarter of 2013)
Where are the letters ‘A’ and ‘B’? I think they are the Android 1.0 and Android 1.1, but no official names were announced. Google also developed and maintain an online electronic store called Google Play (formerly Android Market) where users can download useful applications (a lot of them are free!) and entertainment products.
The Open Handset Alliance is an association of 80+ technology and mobile companies from around the world who work together for the development of Android. Now imagine what Android can achieve! I believe that these companies have the talent, resources and power to create or develop the Android technology as the best mobile operating system. Companies include:
- Mobile Operators – Sprint Nextel, T-mobile, Telus, Vodafone, etc.
- Handset Manufacturers – Acer Inc, HTC Corp., LG Electronics, Motorola, Samsung, etc.
- Semiconductor Companies – Intel Corp, MediaTek, NVIDIA Corp, Qualcomm, etc.
- Software Companies – eBay, Google, Nuance, etc.
- and Commercialization Companies like Accenture, Wind River, Teleca AB, etc.
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| Some android users. Image from autocadws. |
Yes, I think that we, the users have always been involved with the development of Android. The technical developers gets feedback and innovative or crazy ideas from us to make apps and the platform better. It is us that voices out what we really want to use and experience. We have the power to make Android better than we can imagine!