Adobe Flash player doesn't work on Android 4.0, update on the way

You might have heard that the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, the bringer of Android Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS), doesn’t support Flash. It's not a hardware issue limited to the that model, the problem lies with the software - Flash doesn’t support ICS. Yet. Adobe is expected to release an update by the end of the year that will add support for Ice Cream Sandwich to Android's Flash player. But pay attention at how Adobe worded its statement: Adobe will release one more version of the Flash Player for mobile browsing, which will provide support for Android 4.0, and one more release of the Flash Linux Porting Kit - both expected to be released before the end of this year. So, the next major Android version isn't getting official Flash support. Which coincides with Adobe's updated strategy for mobile devices that calls for HTML5 to replace Flash. That doesn’t exclude the possibility of Flash on Android altogether - we've seen third party players like HTC's plugin - but the end is nigh. RIM for one has officially stated that they will continue development of the plug-in for their PlayBook tablet (and presumably phones running the upcoming new OS). Others who have licensed the source code can do the same. Note that this is only for the Flash plug-in for browsers. Devs will still be able to use Adobe's technologies to create apps and games for mobile devices through Adobe AIR. That will go on with a focus on console-like gaming (thanks to the recently added 3D support). Flash for the desktop will also see continued development.

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IDC: Samsung, ZTE see jump in mobile shipments, Apple slides to fifth place

Q3 earnings reports have been pouring in over the past few days, which means it's time to check in with IDC on the state of the mobile market. The research firm's latest report, released today, is something of a mixed bag. On the one hand, Q3 global shipments increased by 12.8 percent year-over-year -- higher than the 9.3 percent that IDC had predicted for the quarter and the 9.8 percent growth observed last quarter. At the same time, however, the market grew at the second slowest pace in two years and shipments to Western Europe and the US actually declined over the year, something the company attributes to more restrained consumer spending and more widespread economic uncertainty. On the company level, both Samsung and ZTE came away as the biggest winners this quarter; Sammy's shipments increased by 23 percent over the year, good for second place, while ZTE's shot up by a whopping 57.9 percent, launching the company into fourth place. Apple, meanwhile, saw 26.2 percent growth in its shipments and a slight bump in market share, but still couldn't avoid getting leapfrogged by ZTE and dropping down to fifth place. And then there's LG, which had by far the worst quarter, relative to Q3 2010. The manufacturer saw shipments decline by nearly 26 percent over the year, while its market share slipped to 5.4 percent. All these horses, however, are still chasing Nokia, which saw a small drop in shipments, but managed to hang on to the top spot, with over 106 million shipments during the quarter -- good for 27 percent of the market. For more numbers and insight, check out the full PR after the break.

By Amar Toor

Google CEO Larry Page explains reasoning behind Motorola acquisition (spoiler: patents)

In a post penned by Larry Page on Google’s company blog, the CEO explains why Google decided to shell out $12.5 billion to purchase smartphone vendor Motorola Mobility. While Page had plenty to say about Motorola’s extensive history and its leading role in Android’s explosive growth, he also points to what many believe to be one of the leading factors behind the deal: patents. “We recently explained how companies including Microsoft and Apple are banding together in anti-competitive patent attacks on Android,” the CEO wrote on Google’s blog. “The U.S. Department of Justice had to intervene in the results of one recent patent auction to ‘protect competition and innovation in the open source software community’ and it is currently looking into the results of the Nortel auction. Our acquisition of Motorola will increase competition by strengthening Google’s patent portfolio, which will enable us to better protect Android from anti-competitive threats from Microsoft, Apple and other companies.” Read on for more. Regarding where this deal might leave other big Android partners such as Samsung and HTC, Page was sure to indicate that Google’s acquisition of Motorola Mobility will not push them out of the space. “This acquisition will not change our commitment to run Android as an open platform,” Page noted in his post. “Motorola will remain a licensee of Android and Android will remain open. We will run Motorola as a separate business. Many hardware partners have contributed to Android’s success and we look forward to continuing to work with all of them to deliver outstanding user experiences.” Google is obviously looking to build a scenario where it can control the end-to-end Android user experience as a result of this acquisition, but it also appears that the company is looking to protect the Android ecosystem as a whole by using patents obtained through the deal to fight off assailants like Apple and Microsoft.

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Is Google’s Motorola buy the only way to save Android?

It’s only Tuesday, but the big news this week is already behind us: Google intends to shell out $12.5 billion to acquire Motorola Mobility and its portfolio of roughly 25,000 patents. The deal was covered far and wide, but some of the most interesting thoughts surrounding the news came late Monday night from Apple pundit John Gruber. The initial intent of Gruber’s piece was to point out the irony of reporter Dan Lyons’ repeated use of baseless speculation in an effort to discredit “Apple fanboy MG Siegler” of TechCrunch, but it evolved into an interesting commentary on the acquisition itself. Moreover, it brings a few interesting observations to light that went widely overlooked in yesterday’s coverage of the deal. BGR noted yesterday that it was curious Google chose to spend a fortune — nearly two times its 2010 profits, as Gruber points out — to acquire Motorola rather than licensing its patents. The answer might just be that Google, despite its size, was not in a position of power with this deal, and saving Android in the face of unending patent complaints became its top priority. Read on for more. With Apple and Microsoft using patents as a weapon in an effort to slow competition from Android vendors and even block the sale of their products, Google had to act. The company’s odd public patent spat ended up being a prelude to something more — something much more: a massive $12.5 billion acquisition. Of course this purchase will give Google the ability to create an end-to-end Android experience across smartphones, tablets and Google TV boxes that represent its vision more precisely, but many experts agree that this was not the driving force behind the deal. Instead, it was Motorola’s massive patent portfolio, which will arm Google with the means to defend Android and its partners. With this in mind, it now makes sense that Google was willing to part with $12.5 billion to buy a struggling smartphone vendor that reported an operating loss of $85 million last quarter. It also might explain how Motorola Mobility managed to work out a sale rather than a licensing deal. “I think Motorola knew they had Google by the balls,” Gruber wrote on Daring Fireball. “Google needed Motorola’s patent library to defend Android as a whole, Motorola knew it, and they made Google pay and pay handsomely.” He also notes that during the company’s negotiations with Google — which only took place over the past five weeks according to a report from GigaOm — CEO Sanjay Jha publicly spoke of Motorola’s interest in Microsoft’s Windows Phone platform, and even openly threatened to use Motorola’s IP to wage war on other Android vendors. In this context, Jha was asserting power and giving Google ultimatums. Gruber continued, ”I don’t think it’s curious at all why Google didn’t simply license Motorola’s patents. Motorola held out for a full acquisition at a premium far above the company’s actual value, and threatened to go after its sibling Android partners if Google didn’t acquiesce. Thus the public threats from Jha and Icahn. Thus the high price. Thus the lack of a simpler, cheaper licensing agreement. Thus the unusual $2.5 billion reverse breakup fee.” In the end, Motorola may have just played an incredible game of chess with Google, a company that identified Motorola’s patent war chest as its best line of defense against Apple, Microsoft and even a patent battle that was brewing within the ranks of its Android partners. Motorola has been behind some of the most popular smartphones in Android’s short history, and yet it is still unable to turn a profit. Now that Samsung and HTC have emerged as clear leaders in the Android space, Motorola might have seen a potential acquisition as its best chance to create a return for investors. And so by denying Google the ability to license its patents and forcing Google’s hand, an acquisition of Motorola Mobility might have become the only way for Google to ultimately save Android from patent predators like Apple.

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Samsung blows past Apple to take No. 1 smartphone spot in Q3

Following Samsung’s third-quarter earnings report on Friday morning, the South Korea-based electronics giant is now confirmed to have passed Apple to become the top smartphone vendor in the world by volume. Reports from last week suggested Samsung had bested Apple’s stalled smartphone shipments during the September quarter to take the No. 1 spot, and now Samsung has confirmed that it surpassed the 17.1 million iPhones Apple shipped by a wide margin. Read on for more. Headed by the company’s popular Galaxy S II line of handsets, Samsung shipped 27.9 million smartphones last quarter, nearly 10 million units better than Apple’s performance by volume. Apple spent just one quarter as the world’s top smartphone vendor when it shipped 20.34 million iPhone handsets in the second quarter of 2011. Samsung first began selling smartphones just last year and it has already become the global leader. According to market research and consulting firm Strategy Analytics, Samsung’s stellar quarter drove huge growth in worldwide smartphone sales. “Global smartphone shipments grew 44 percent annually to reach a record 117 million units in Q3 2011,” Strategy Analytics Senior Analyst Alex Spektor said in a press release. “Samsung shipped 28 million smartphones and overtook Apple to become the world’s largest smartphone vendor by volume with 24 percent market share. Samsung’s rise has been driven by a blend of elegant hardware designs, popular Android services, memorable sub-brands and extensive global distribution. Samsung has demonstrated that it is possible, at least in the short term, to differentiate and grow by using the Android ecosystem.” Samsung reported an operating profit of 4.25 trillion won in the third quarter as smartphone shipments quadrupled the same period last year. By: Zach Epstein

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Gartner: Android market share to near 50 percent

According to the market researcher, more than 296 million smartphones shipped last year. Out of that, Symbian secured 37.6 percent market share, followed by Android's 22.7 percent share, and BlackBerry OS with 16 percent of the market. In 2011, the number of smartphone shipments around the world will explode to nearly 468 million units. That growth will help Android snag 38.5 percent market share by the end of the year, followed by Apple's iOS at 19.4 percent, and Symbian at 19.2 percent, Gartner said. But it's next year that might just be the most eye-opening find in Gartner's analysis. According to the company, more than 630 million smartphones will ship worldwide in 2012, and Android will own 49.2 percent of the market, easily dominating its second-place competitor, iOS, with 18.9 percent share. Research In Motion's BlackBerry operating system will nab the third spot with 12.6 percent share of the smartphone space. Gartner offered up another surprise in its forecasts: in 2015, Microsoft's Windows Phone platform will secure the second spot in the smartphone space with 19.5 percent market share. It will follow Android's 48.8 percent market ownership. Gartner said it pushed Windows Phone sales up "solely by virtue of Microsoft's alliance with Nokia," which the companies entered into earlier this year. Likely starting next year, Nokia will use Windows Phone 7 as the "principal" operating system on its smartphones. Debate rages over Windows Phone's future market share. Last week, IDC released its own forecasts for the 2015 smartphone market and reported that Android would secure 45.4 percent of the space. It believes Windows Phone will follow with 20.9 percent market share. Like Gartner, IDC said the deal between Microsoft and Nokia will be enough to push Windows Phone to greater heights. "Up until the launch of Windows Phone 7 last year, Microsoft has steadily lost market share while other operating systems have brought forth new and appealing experiences," Ramon Llamas, senior research analyst on IDC's Mobile Devices Technology and Trends team, said in a statement at the time. "The new alliance brings together Nokia's hardware capabilities and Windows Phone's differentiated platform...By 2015, IDC expects Windows Phone to be the No. 2 operating system worldwide behind Android." However, ABI Research wasn't so quick to agree. That research firm said last week it expects Android to grab 45 percent of the smartphone market by 2016 and be followed by Apple's 19 percent market share. It pegged Windows Phone's share at 7 percent. Speaking to CNET last week, ABI Research senior analyst Michael Morgan said that customers around the world are moving away from Nokia devices and they won't even consider going back. That belief, he says, makes the difference between his estimates and those of the other research firms. "In 2011, Symbian is going to start to deflate rapidly," Morgan said. "I believe that a lot of Nokia users will convert to a new OS platform and stay there--they won't go back." Either way, 2015 is shaping up to be a big year for every major smartphone maker, regardless of market share. According to Gartner, a whopping 1.1 billion smartphones will ship in 2015 alone. by Don Reisinger

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Android version history : Android 4.x Ice Cream Sandwich

Ice Cream Sandwich was previewed at the May 2011 Google I/O event, and officially launched at the Galaxy Nexus and Ice Cream Sandwich release event on 19 October 2011. The SDK for Android 4.0 was publicly released on 19 October 2011. Gabe Cohen from Google said that it is "theoretically compatible" with any Android 2.3.x device currently in production. The source code for this version is scheduled to be released after the Galaxy Nexus ships. Features include: Virtual buttons in the UI, instead of taking up a capacitive screen Voice typing, capable of recognizing speech and converting it into text Widgets in a new tab, listed in a similar list to apps Easier-to-create folders, with a drag-and-drop style A customizable launcher In a new phone app, visual voicemail functionality that lets user speed up or slow down *voicemail messages Pinch-to-zoom functionality in the calendar Offline search, a two-line preview, and new action bar at the bottom of the Gmail app Ability to swipe left or right to switch between Gmail conversations Integrated screenshot capture (accomplished by holding Power and Volume-Down buttons) Improved error correction on the keyboard Ability to access apps directly from lock screen (similar to HTC Sense 3.x) Improved copy and paste functionality Better voice integration and continuous dictating capability Face Unlock, a facial recognition service New tabbed web browser, allowing up to 16 tabs Automatic syncing of browser with user's Chrome bookmarks Modern Roboto font Data Usage section in settings that lets user set warnings when they approach a certain usage limit, and disable data when the limit is exceeded Ability to shut down apps that are using data in the background Camera app: zero shutter lag, time lapse settings, zoom while recording Built-in photo editor New gallery layout, organized by location and person Refreshed 'People' app with social network integration, status updates and hi-res images Android Beam, a NFC feature that lets user exchange websites, contact info, directions, YouTube, etc. Hardware acceleration of the UI Resizeable widgets Wi-Fi Direct

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Android version history : Android 3.x Honeycomb

3.0 Motorola Xoom introduced Android 3.0.1 "Honeycomb" 3.0.1. Based on Linux kernel 2.6.36. On 22 February 2011, the 3.0 (Honeycomb) SDK was released, for tablet computers only. The first device featuring this version, the Motorola Xoom tablet, was released on February 24, 2011. Changes include: Optimized tablet support with a new virtual and “holographic” user interface System Bar: Quick access to notifications, status, and soft navigation buttons available at the bottom of the screen Action Bar: Access to contextual options, navigation, widgets, or other types of content at the top of the screen Multitasking: Tap Recent Apps in the System Bar, to see snapshots of the tasks underway and quickly jump from one app to another Redesigned keyboard: To make entering text fast and accurate on larger screen sizes with greater accuracy and efficiency Copy/Paste: Simplified, more intuitive Browser: Multiple tabs replace browser windows, form auto-fill, and a new “incognito” mode allows anonymous browsing Camera: Quick access to exposure, focus, flash, zoom, front-facing camera, time-lapse, and more Gallery: View albums and other collections in full-screen mode, with easy access to thumbnails for other photos Contacts: New two-pane UI and Fast Scroll to let users easily organize and locate contacts Email: New two-pane UI to make viewing and organizing messages more efficient. The app lets users select one or more messages Support for video chat using Google Talk Hardware acceleration Support for multi-core processors 3.1 The 3.1 SDK was released on 10 May 2011. Changes included: UI refinements Connectivity for USB accessories Expanded Recent Apps list Resizable Home screen widgets Support for external keyboards and pointing devices Support for joysticks and gamepads Media: Support for FLAC audio playback. High-performance Wi-Fi lock maintains high-performance Wi-Fi connections when device screen is off Support for HTTP proxy for each connected Wi-Fi access point 3.2 The 3.2 SDK was released on 15 July 2011. Changes included: Improved hardware support, including optimisations for a wider range of tablets Easier access for apps to files on the SD card, e.g. for synchronisation Compatibility display mode for apps that have not yet been optimized for tablet screen resolutions New display support functions that give developers more control over the look and feel on different Android devices. Huawei MediaPad is the first tablet to use this version

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Android version history : Android 2.3.x Gingerbread

2.3 Based on Linux kernel 2.6.35.On 6 December 2010, the 2.3 (Gingerbread) SDK was released. Changes included: System: Updated user interface design for simplicity and speed Display: Support for extra-large screen sizes and resolutions (WXGA and higher) Internet calling: Native support for SIP VoIP telephony Virtual Keyboard: Faster, more intuitive text input, improved accuracy, better suggested text. Voice input mode Copy/Paste: Enhanced. Select a word by press-hold, copy, and paste Near Field Communication lets the user read an NFC tag embedded in a poster, sticker, or advertisement New audio effects such as reverb, equalization, headphone virtualization, and bass boost New Download Manager giving users easy access to any file downloaded from the browser, email, or another application Camera: Access multiple cameras on the device, including a front-facing camera, if available Media: Support for WebM/VP8 video playback, and AAC audio encoding System: Improved power management with a more active role in managing apps that are keeping the device awake for too long System: Enhanced support for native code development System: Switched from YAFFS to ext4 on newer devices Audio, graphical, and input enhancements for game developers Concurrent garbage collection for increased performance Native support for more sensors (such as gyroscopes and barometers) 2.3.3 Several improvements and APIs to the Android 2.3 platform. 2.3.4 Support for voice or video chat using Google Talk. 2.3.5 25 Jul 2011 Brought improved network performance for the Nexus S 4G, among other fixes and improvements. Fixed Bluetooth bug on Samsung Galaxy S Improved Gmail application 2.3.6 Voice search bug fixed. 2.3.7 Google Wallet support for Nexus S 4G

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Android version history : Android 2.2 Froyo

2.2.2 latest release.Based on Linux kernel 2.6.32. On 20 May 2010, the 2.2 (Froyo) SDK was released.Changes included: System: Speed, memory, and performance optimizations Additional application speed improvements courtesy of JIT implementation Integration of Chrome's V8 JavaScript engine into the Browser application Improved Microsoft Exchange support (security policies, auto-discovery, GAL look-up, calendar synchronization, remote wipe) Improved application launcher with shortcuts to Phone and Browser applications USB tethering and Wi-Fi hotspot functionality Added an option to disable data access over mobile network Updated Market application with batch and automatic update features Quick switching between multiple keyboard languages and their dictionaries Voice dialing and contact sharing over Bluetooth Support for numeric and alphanumeric passwords Support for file upload fields in the Browser application Support for installing applications to the expandable memory Adobe Flash support Display: Support for extra high PPI screens (320 ppi), such as 4" 720p

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Android version history : Android 2.0/2.1 Eclair

2.0 Motorola Droid introduced Android 2.0 Based on Linux kernel 2.6.29 On 26 October 2009, the 2.0 (Eclair) SDK was released. Changes included: Sync: Expanded Account sync. Multiple accounts can be added to a device for email and contact synchronization Email: Exchange support, Combined inbox to browse email from multiple accounts in one page. Bluetooth: 2.1 support Contacts: Tap a contact photo and select to call, SMS, or email the person. Messaging: Search all saved SMS and MMS messages. Auto delete oldest messages in a conversation when a defined limit is reached. Camera: Flash support, Digital zoom, Scene mode, White balance, Color effect, Macro focus Virtual keyboard: Improved typing speed, smarter dictionary learns from word usage and includes contact names as suggestions. Browser: Refreshed UI, Bookmark thumbnails, Double-tap zoom, Support for HTML5 Calendar: Agenda view enhanced, Attending status for each invitee, Invite new guests to events. System: Optimized hardware speed, Revamped UI Display: Support for more screen sizes and resolutions, Better contrast ratio Maps: Improved Google Maps 3.1.2 MotionEvent class enhanced to track multi-touch events Live Wallpapers: Home screen background images can be animated to show movement 2.0.1 The 2.0.1 SDK was released on 3 December 2009. Android 2.0.1 is a minor platform release deployable to Android-powered handsets starting in December 2009. This release includes minor API changes, bug fixes and framework behavioral changes. 2.1 The 2.1 SDK was released on 12 January 2010. Android 2.1 is a minor platform release deployable to Android-powered handsets starting in January 2010. This release includes new API changes and bug fixes.

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Android version history : Android 1.6 Donut

Based on Linux kernel 2.6.29 On 15 September 2009, the 1.6 (Donut) SDK was released. Included in the update were: - Search: Voice Search & text entry search enhanced to include bookmarks & history, contacts, the web, and more - Search: Developers can now include their content in search results - Text to speech: Features a multi-lingual speech synthesis engine to allow any Android application to "speak" a string of text - Android Market: Allows easier searching, app screenshots, etc. - Camera, camcorder, and Gallery: Updated integrated with faster camera access - Gallery: Now enables users to select multiple photos for deletion - System: Updated technology support for CDMA/EVDO, 802.1x, VPNs, and a text-to-speech engine - Display: Support for WVGA screen resolutions - Speed improvements in searching and camera applications - Expanded Gesture framework and new GestureBuilder development tool - Google free turn-by-turn navigation

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Android version history : Android 1.5 Cupcake

Based on Linux kernel 2.6.27. On 30 April 2009, the official 1.5 (Cupcake) update for Android was released. There were several new features and UI updates included in the 1.5 update: - Virtual keyboard: Support for 3rd party keyboards with text prediction & user dictionary for custom words - Widgets: Miniature application views that can be embedded in other applications (such as the Home screen) and receive periodic updates - Camera: Video records - Gallery: Video playback (MPEG-4 & 3GP formats) - Bluetooth: Stereo support added (A2DP and AVRCP profiles), Auto-pairing - Browser: Copy and paste features added - Contacts: Shows user picture for Favorites - Dialer: Specific date/time stamp for events in call log and one-touch access to a contact card from call log event - System: Animated screen transitions - Upload videos to YouTube - Upload photos on Picasa

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Android version history : Android 1.1

On 9 February 2009, Android 1.1 update for Android was released for T-Mobile G1 only. Included in the update were resolved issues, API changes and: - Maps: Adds details and reviews when a user does a search on Maps and clicks on a business to view its details. - Dialer: In-call screen timeout default is now longer when using the speakerphone, Show/Hide Dialpad - Messaging: Saving attachments - System: Adds support for marquee in layouts.

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Android version history : Android 1.0

The version history of the Android operating system began with the release of version 1.0 in September 2008. Android is a mobile operating system developed by Google and the Open Handset Alliance. Android has seen a number of updates since its original release. These updates to the base operating system typically fix bugs and add new features. Generally, each version is developed under a code name based on a dessert item. The code names were released in alphabetic order: Cupcake, Donut, Eclair, Froyo, Gingerbread, Honeycomb, Ice Cream Sandwich.

Released 5 November 2007, SDK released 12 November 2007[3]
[edit] Android 1.0
HTC Dream (G1) introduced Android 1.0

Released 23 September 2008. The first Android device, the HTC Dream (G1), had these Android 1.0 features:

-Android Market application download and updates through the Market app
-Web browser to show, zoom and pan full HTML and XHTML web pages – multiple pages show as windows ("cards")Video
-Camera support, but no way to change resolution, white balance, quality, etc.
-Folders allow the grouping of a number of app icons into a single folder icon on the Home screen.
-Email provides access to email servers commonly found on the Internet and supports POP3, IMAP4, and SMTP.
-Gmail synchronization with the Gmail app
-Google Contacts synchronization with the People app
-Google Calendar synchronization with the Calendar app
-Google Maps with Latitude and Street View to view maps and satellite imagery, as well as find local business and get driving directions using GPS
-Google Sync allows management of over-the-air synchronization of Gmail, People, and Calendar
-Google Search of the internet and phone apps, contacts, calendar, etc
-Google Talk instant messaging
-Instant messaging, text messaging, and MMS
-Media Player enables managing, importing, and playing back but lacked video and stereo Bluetooth support
-Notifications appear in the Status bar – drag down to see details, also ringtone, LEDs and vibration options.
-Voice Dialer allows dialing and placing of phone calls without typing a name or number
-Wallpaper allows the user to set the background image or photo behind the Home screen icons and widgets.
-YouTube video player
-Other apps include: Alarm Clock, Calculator, Dialer (Phone), Home screen (launcher), Pictures (Gallery), and Settings.
-Other supported features include: WiFi, and Bluetooth.

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Android Market

Android Market is the online software store developed by Google for Android devices. An application program ("app") called "Market" is preinstalled on most Android devices and allows users to browse and download apps published by third-party developers, hosted on Android Market. As of December 2010 there were about 200,000 games, applications and widgets available on the Android Market. In April 2011 Google said there had been more than 3 billion Android apps installed and at end of June 2011 there are 6 billion apps installs from the Android market. The operating system itself is installed on 130 million total devices.

Only devices that comply with Google's compatibility requirements are allowed to preinstall Google's closed-source Android Market app and access the Market. The Market filters the list of applications presented by the Market app to those that are compatible with the user's device, and developers may restrict their applications to particular carriers or countries for business reasons.
Google has participated in the Android Market by offering several applications themselves, including Google Voice (for the Google Voice service), Sky Map (for watching stars), Finance (for their finance service), Maps Editor (for their MyMaps service), Places Directory (for their Local Search), Google Goggles that searches by image, Gesture Search (for using finger-written letters and numbers to search the contents of the phone), Google Translate, Google Shopper, Listen for podcasts and My Tracks, a jogging application. In August 2010, Google launched "Voice Actions for Android", which allows users to search, write messages, and initiate calls by voice.

Alternatively, users can install apps from third party app stores such as the Amazon Appstore, or directly onto the device if they have the application's APK file.

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Android History (part 2)

Foundation

Android, Inc. was founded in Palo Alto, California, United States in October, 2003 by Andy Rubin (co-founder of Danger), Rich Miner (co-founder of Wildfire Communications, Inc.), Nick Sears (once VP at T-Mobile), and Chris White (headed design and interface development at WebTV) to develop, in Rubin's words "...smarter mobile devices that are more aware of its owner's location and preferences". Despite the obvious past accomplishments of the founders and early employees, Android Inc. operated secretly, revealing only that it was working on software for mobile phones.

That same year, Rubin ran out of cash. Steve Perlman brought him $10,000 in cash in an envelope and refused a stake in the company.


Acquisition by Google

Google acquired Android Inc. in August 2005, making Android Inc. a wholly owned subsidiary of Google Inc. Key employees of Android Inc., including Andy Rubin, Rich Miner and Chris White, stayed at the company after the acquisition. Not much was known about Android Inc. at the time of the acquisition, but many assumed that Google was planning to enter the mobile phone market with this move.[citation needed]
[edit] Post-acquisition development

At Google, the team led by Rubin developed a mobile device platform powered by the Linux kernel. Google marketed the platform to handset makers and carriers on the premise of providing a flexible, upgradable system. Google had lined up a series of hardware component and software partners and signaled to carriers that it was open to various degrees of cooperation on their part.

Speculation about Google's intention to enter the mobile communications market continued to build through December 2006. Reports from the BBC and The Wall Street Journal noted that Google wanted its search and applications on mobile phones and it was working hard to deliver that. Print and online media outlets soon reported rumors that Google was developing a Google-branded handset. Some speculated that as Google was defining technical specifications, it was showing prototypes to cell phone manufacturers and network operators.

In September 2007, InformationWeek covered an Evalueserve study reporting that Google had filed several patent applications in the area of mobile telephony.


Open Handset Alliance


On November 5, 2007, the Open Handset Alliance, a consortium of several companies which include Broadcom Corporation, Google, HTC, Intel, LG, Marvell Technology Group, Motorola, Nvidia, Qualcomm, Samsung Electronics, Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile and Texas Instruments unveiled itself. The goal of the Open Handset Alliance is to develop open standards for mobile devices. On the same day, the Open Handset Alliance also unveiled their first product, Android, a mobile device platform built on the Linux kernel version 2.6.

On December 9, 2008, 14 new members joined, including ARM Holdings, Atheros Communications, Asustek Computer Inc, Garmin Ltd, Huawei Technologies, PacketVideo, Softbank, Sony Ericsson, Toshiba Corp, and Vodafone Group Plc.


Licensing

With the exception of brief update periods, Android has been available under free and open source software licenses from October 21, 2008 until March 2011. Google published the source code for their Linux kernel changes under the GNU General Public License version 2, and the rest of the code (including network and telephony stacks) under the Apache License version 2.0. Google also keeps the reviewed issues list publicly open for anyone to see and comment.

The Open Handset Alliance develops the GPL-licensed part of Android, that is their changes to the Linux kernel, in public, with source code publicly available at all times. The rest of Android is developed in private, with source code released publicly when a major new version is released. Typically Google collaborates with a hardware manufacturer to produce a flagship device featuring the new version of Android, then makes the source code available after that device has been released.

In early 2011, Google chose to withhold the Android source code to the tablet-only Honeycomb release, creating a controversy over Google's commitment to open source with Android. The reason, according to Andy Rubin in an official Android blog post, was because Honeycomb was rushed for production of the Motorola Xoom, and they did not want third parties creating a "really bad user experience" by attempting to put onto smartphones a version of Android intended for tablets. Google later confirmed that the Honeycomb source code would not be released until after it was merged with the Gingerbread release in Ice Cream Sandwich.

Even though the software is open source, device manufacturers cannot use Google's Android trademark unless Google certifies that the device complies with their Compatibility Definition Document (CDD). Devices must also meet this definition to be eligible to license Google's closed-source applications, including the Android Market.

In September 2010, Skyhook Wireless filed a lawsuit against Google in which they alleged that Google had used the compatibility document to block Skyhook's mobile positioning service (XPS) from Motorola's Android mobile devices. In December 2010 a judge denied Skyhook's motion for preliminary injunction, saying that Google had not closed off the possibility of accepting a revised version of Skyhook's XPS service, and that Motorola had terminated their contract with Skyhook because Skyhook wanted to disable Google's location data collection functions on Motorola's devices, which would have violated Motorola's obligations to Google and its carriers

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Android History

Android is an operating system for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet computers. It is developed by the Open Handset Alliance led by Google.

Google purchased the initial developer of the software, Android Inc., in 2005. The unveiling of the Android distribution on November 5, 2007 was announced with the founding of the Open Handset Alliance, a consortium of 84 hardware, software, and telecommunication companies devoted to advancing open standards for mobile devices. Google released most of the Android code under the Apache License, a free software license. The Android Open Source Project (AOSP) is tasked with the maintenance and further development of Android.

Android consists of a kernel based on the Linux kernel, with middleware, libraries and APIs written in C and application software running on an application framework which includes Java-compatible libraries based on Apache Harmony. Android uses the Dalvik virtual machine with just-in-time compilation to run compiled Java code. Android has a large community of developers writing applications ("apps") that extend the functionality of the devices. Developers write primarily in a customized version of Java. There are currently approximately 300,000 apps available for Android, from a total of 500,000 apps over the life of Android. Apps can be downloaded from third-party sites or through online stores such as Android Market, the app store run by Google.

Android was listed as the best-selling smartphone platform worldwide in Q4 2010 by Canalys with over 190 million Android devices in use by October 2011.

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