It’s actually a bit strange to think that Android is now 4 years old since the original SDK 1.0. Before the actual announcement of Google, mobile phone consumers would have to choose a mobile phone from Apple, a Windows-based mobile phone or a basic mobile phone device that comes with the manufacturers’ stock operating system. Today, most smart phones are offering their devices that feature Android as an operating system. In just 4 years, Google has actually made a giant out of a mobile phone operating system based on Linux.
Four years ago, the tech world is still dealing with the rumors that Google will actually develop a mobile phone operating system. Quite a unique deal from a search engine company but they actually pulled it off and offered something entirely unique and refreshing. During those times, people would actually have to deal with the Windows Mobile 6.0 or an iPhone which was just two years old during the first versions of Android. Of course, early iterations have been a challenge for some users but as history would prove, Android is slowly but surely pushing new features to improve interaction with users. Android 4.0 or Jelly Bean is the best testament on how the operating system has developed since its early stages in 2008.
For a bit of history, the Android 1.0 SDK doesn’t actually have a sweets-based name. The first version that came with a name from a dessert is the 1.5 version, the “Cupcake”. Version 1.6 was called “Donut”, and the next update that came with the dessert was Android 2.0 the “Éclair”. Android would then go through four more dessert based names before the Jelly Bean: Froyo (2.2), Gingerbread (2.3), Honeycomb (3.0) and Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0). Jelly Bean refers to Android 4.1 SDK.
The biggest leap of Android is not just on its ability to improve its ecosystem for better interaction. They have actually built a mobile OS optimized not only for mobile phones. Aside from offering the OS for an improved experience of mobile interaction, the OS is also expanding its wings to offer improved user experience in tablets.
Last but not the least, the open source concept of Android could be a bit hazy but there are manufacturers that take full advantage of the operating system. The open source concept of Android allows them to develop their own version of OS to fit well with their customers as well as hardware requirements.
Image: TalkAndroid
