Android is a mobile operating system primarily designed for touchscreen mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets). It is based on a modified version of the Linux kernel and other open-source software). Android is developed by a consortium of developers known as the Open Handset Alliance, though its most widely used version is primarily developed by Google). The operating system is known as Android Open Source Project (AOSP) and is free and open-source software (FOSS) primarily licensed under the Apache License).
Android offers users a “direct manipulation” interface for smart, natural phone use. Its design lets users manipulate the mobile devices intuitively, with finger movements that mirror common motions, such as pinching, swiping, and tapping. Android also includes features to save battery usage, such as suspending applications that arent in use to conserve battery power and CPU usage. Android includes memory management features that automatically close inactive processes stored in its memory.
Android has been the best-selling OS worldwide on smartphones since 2011 and on tablets since 2013). As of May 2021, it had over three billion monthly active users, the largest installed base of any operating system in the world, and as of January 2021, the Google Play Store featured over 3 million apps). Android is open to everyone: developers, designers, and device makers. This allows for many variations of the OS to be developed for other devices, such as gaming consoles and digital cameras.
Android releases a few updated versions of its operating system every year. Android system versions are named with a dessert theme, the original being Donut 1.6 in 2009, and the latest being JellyBean 4.2 in 2012. The latest version of Android OS is 14, released in October 2023.
In summary, Android is a mobile operating system based on a modified version of the Linux kernel and other open-source software, primarily designed for touchscreen mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. It is developed by a consortium of developers known as the Open Handset Alliance, though its most widely used version is primarily developed by Google. Android offers users a “direct manipulation” interface for smart, natural phone use, and includes features to save battery usage. It is open to everyone, allowing for many variations of the OS to be developed for other devices. Android releases a few updated versions of its operating system every year, with the latest version being Android OS 14.
