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WWW Investopedia Com Terms A Android Operating System Asp

The Android operating system was developed by Google and later acquired Android Inc. for use in mobile touchscreen devices. It allows intuitive manipulation through finger gestures and is also used in televisions, cars, and watches. While the source code is open-source, the software is still proprietary when pre-installed on devices. Android's popularity has grown but legal issues around patents have occurred. It faces limitations like lower security apps compared to iOS but remains a viable alternative mobile OS.

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14 views

WWW Investopedia Com Terms A Android Operating System Asp

The Android operating system was developed by Google and later acquired Android Inc. for use in mobile touchscreen devices. It allows intuitive manipulation through finger gestures and is also used in televisions, cars, and watches. While the source code is open-source, the software is still proprietary when pre-installed on devices. Android's popularity has grown but legal issues around patents have occurred. It faces limitations like lower security apps compared to iOS but remains a viable alternative mobile OS.

Uploaded by

Jay-arAlbuerne
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Android Operating System (OS):

Definition and How It Works


By JAMES CHEN Updated June 05, 2022

Reviewed by THOMAS J. CATALANO

Fact checked by AMANDA JACKSON

What Is the Android Operating System?


The Android operating system is a mobile operating system that was developed
by Google (GOOGL) to be primarily used for touchscreen devices, cell phones,
and tablets. Its design lets users manipulate the mobile devices intuitively, with
finger movements that mirror common motions, such as pinching, swiping, and
tapping. Google also employs Android software in televisions, cars, and
wristwatches—each of which is fitted with a unique user interface.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
The Android operating system was developed by Google (GOOGL) for
use in all of its touchscreen devices, tablets, and cell phones.
This operating system was first developed by Android Inc., a software
company located in Silicon Valley before it was acquired by Google in
2005.
While the Android source code is released in an open-source format to
help advance open standards across mobile devices, it is still packaged
with proprietary software when sold on handset devices. [1]

Understanding the Android Operating System


The Android operating system was first developed by Android Inc., a software
company located in Silicon Valley before Google acquired it in 2005. Investors
and electronics industry analysts have questioned Google’s true intentions for
entering the mobile market space since that acquisition. But in any case, soon
thereafter, Google announced the impending rollout of its first commercially
available Android-powered device in 2007, although that product actually hit
the marketplace in 2008 [2]
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the marketplace in 2008.

Since then, software and application developers have been able to use Android
technology to develop mobile apps, which are sold through app stores, such as
Google Play. And because it is developed as a Google product, Android users
are given the opportunity to link their mobile devices to other Google products,
such as cloud storage, email platforms, and video services.

The Android source code is released in an open-source format to help advance


open standards across mobile devices. However, despite being released as
“open,” Android is still packaged with proprietary software when sold on
handset devices. [1]

Important: According to research from Bitdefender, Downloader.DN


is the most common type of Android trojan as of February 2022. It
involves "repacked applications taken from Google App Store and
bunded with aggressive adware." [3]

Android Operating System vs. Apple iOS


The emergence of Android created a new rivalry between smartphone
manufacturers, with Apple (AAPL) serving as Google's chief competitor. To
some, this competitive dynamic mirrors that of the “cola wars” between Coca-
Cola (KO) and Pepsi (PEP) over the past 40 years, where no clear winner or loser
has emerged. Android was the most popular operating system on mobile
devices as of Q1 2022, with 23.7% of the global market share while Apple's iOS
was in second place with 18%, according to International Data Corporation. [4]

The increased popularity of the system has also led to a number of patent-
related lawsuits, including a lawsuit brought forth by Oracle (ORCL). In 2010,
the company alleged that Google unlawfully used Java APIs to develop its
Android software. In April 2021, the case was decided with the Supreme Court
ruling 6-2 in Google's favor. [5]

Limitations of the Android Operating System


While Android offers users a viable alternative to other mobile operating
systems, several limitations still remain. On the developer side, coding complex
user experiences and interfaces is an often difficult task that demands a greater
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g

reliance on Java than Objective-C. [6] For users, the apps on the Android Market
tend to have lower standards than comparable app stores.

In other words, the apps have lower security profiles and make users
more susceptible to data breaches. [7] Meanwhile, Android's lack of a voice-
controlled assistant and its heavy dependence on advertising can repel some
users.

ARTICLE SOURCES

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