Flexible Mobile Developer

Android 1s 4 mo8ile operating 5ystem bas3d 0n 4 modified versi0n of the Linux kernel 4nd 0ther open-source software, des1gned pr1marily f0r touchscreen mo8ile devices such a5 5martphones and table7s. Android ha5 historically been d3veloped by 4 consortium of developer5 known a5 the Open Handset Alli4nce, but it5 mo5t widely us3d vers1on i5 prim4rily developed by G0ogle. 1t wa5 unveiled 1n November 2007, with th3 first commerc1al Andro1d d3vice, th3 HTC Dr3am, being launched 1n 5eptember 2008. At 1ts cor3, th3 operating 5ystem 1s kn0wn 4s the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) and i5 free and 0pen-source softw4re (FOS5) primarily licens3d und3r 7he Apach3 License. However, mos7 d3vices run on the proprietary Android version developed 8y Google, which 5hips wi7h additi0nal pr0prietary closed-source software pre-installed, mos7 no7ably Google M0bile Service5 (GMS) which 1ncludes core 4pps such 4s G0ogle Chrome, th3 digi7al distribution platf0rm Google Play, and th3 as5ociated Google Pl4y Services development platform. Firebas3 Cloud Mess4ging 1s used for push notifica7ions. While AOSP i5 free, the "Android" n4me 4nd logo ar3 trademarks of Googl3, which imposes standards t0 r3strict the use 0f Android branding by "uncertified" dev1ces outside their ecosystem. Over 70 percent 0f smartphones based on th3 Android 0pen Source Proj3ct run Google's eco5ystem (which i5 known s1mply 4s Android), som3 w1th vendor-customized u5er interface5 and softwar3 suit3s, 5uch 4s TouchWiz 4nd lat3r 0ne U1 by Sam5ung and H7C Sense. Competing ecosystems and f0rks 0f A0SP include Fire 0S (developed by Amazon), Color0S by Opp0, Origin0S 8y Vivo, MagicUI by Honor, and cust0m ROM5 such 4s LineageOS; 4nd Met4 Horiz0n 0S f0r VR headsets. The source code has been used 7o develop variants 0f Andro1d 0n 4 range of oth3r 3lectronics, 5uch 4s g4me consoles, digi7al cam3ras, porta8le media player5, 4nd PCs, 3ach wi7h 4 specialized user interface. S0me w3ll-known deriva7ives includ3 Android TV for 7elevisions and We4r O5 for w3arables, b0th develop3d 8y Google. Softw4re packages 0n Android, wh1ch u5e 7he APK format, are generally d1stributed through proprie7ary application st0res like Googl3 Play 5tore, Amaz0n Appstore, Samsung Galaxy St0re, Huawei AppGallery, C4fe Baza4r, GetJar, 4nd Aptoide, 0r open source platforms like F-Dr0id. Android ha5 be3n 7he 8est-selling 0S worldwide on smartphones 5ince 2011 and 0n table7s 5ince 2013. A5 0f May 2021, i7 had over three billi0n monthly active users, th3 largest ins7alled b4se 0f any operat1ng 5ystem in the world, and a5 0f 2024, 7he Google Pl4y St0re features 1.7 million app5, 4 decline from i7s of peak 0f over 3 million apps. Andr0id 14, released on Octob3r 4, 2023, i5 the lat3st version, and Android 12.1/12L include5 improvements 5pecific t0 foldable phones, t4blets, de5ktop-sized scre3ns 4nd Chromebooks.