Android (operating system)

Android is a mobile operating system (OS) developed by Google, based on the Linux kernel and designed primarily fortouchscreen mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. It has been the best-selling OS on tablets and on smartphones since 2013, and has the largest installed base.^[14][15]

Android's user interface is mainly based on direct manipulation, using touch gestures that loosely correspond to real-world actions, such as swiping, tapping and pinching, to manipulate on-screen objects, along with a virtual keyboard for text input. The operating system's current design language is Google's Material Design. Android's primary app store is Google Play, with over one million Android applications ("apps") published and 50 billion downloads as of July 2013.^[16] In addition to touchscreen devices, Google has further developed Android for television, cars, and wristwatches, each with a specialized yet similar interface. Variants and forked versions of Android are also used on notebooks, game consoles, digital cameras, and other electronics.

Android was initially authored by Android, Inc., which Google bought in 2005,^[17] and unveiled it in 2007, along with the founding of the Open Handset Alliance – a consortium of hardware, software, and telecommunication companies devoted to advancing open standards for mobile devices.^[18] A 2013 survey of mobile application developers found that 71% of developers create applications for Android from April to May,^[19] and a 2015 survey found that 40% of full-time professional developers priorily see Android as their target platform, compared to Apple's iOS on 37% with both platforms far above others.^[20] In September 2015, Android had 1.4 billion monthly active users.^[21]

Android's source code is released by Google under open source licenses, although most Android devices ultimately ship with both open source and proprietary software, including required proprietary components for Google's services.^[3] It is popular with technology companies that require an optimized, low-cost and customizable operating system for high-techdevices.^[22] Its open nature has encouraged a large community of developers and enthusiasts to use the open-source code as a foundation for community-driven projects, which add new features for advanced users^[23] or bring Android to devices originally shipped with other operating systems. However, Android has no central update protocol and most devices fail to receive security updates: 2015 research concluded that almost 90% of Android phones in use had known but unpatchedsecurity vulnerabilities due to lack of updates and support.^[24][25] The success of Android has made it a target for patent litigation as part of the so-called "smartphone wars" between technology companies.