Android: Revolutionising smartphone market

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Android operating system, developed by Google and launched aboard Google Nexus Smartphone last year, has managed to take the smartphone market by storm. Earlier, smartphones used to mean a QWERTY or alphanumeric input handset running either on Blackberry, Symbian or Windows Mobile. iPhone, although quite popular, still was the choice of more socially upward mobile consumers. Coming of Android changed all the equations of the market and has written new ground rules for Smartphone’s.

Motorola Xoom

Initially a brainchild of Android Inc, the company was bought by Google in 2005 in preparation for their foray into mobile handset market. The operating system is based on Linux kernel, much like the iOS operating system, which is used by Apple for its iPhone, iPad and iPod series of devices. With its clout, Google also managed to persuade handset manufacturers like Sony Ericsson, HTC, Samsung and LG to support Android’s further development and hence formed Open Handset Alliance. The task of maintaining the open standards and refinement of the system has been entrusted with Android Open Source Project. According to a recent report by Comscore, Android is the world’s best selling smartphone platform across the globe.

Most of this spectacular growth can be attributed to the R&D efforts put in by the developers in releasing updates and providing adequate applications for the consumers. Since the initial release of Android OS in October 2008, there have been six versions released in the market, namely, Cupcake, Donut, Éclair, Froyo, and Gingerbread. A version for tablets – Honeycomb, has also been launched, which comes loaded on Motorola Xoom.