All About Google Android

At last count, over 7,00,000 Android devices were being activated everyday according to Andy Rubin, senior vice president of mobile at Google. Late last year, Gartner estimated that Android held 52.5% of the global smartphone market, significantly higher than the nearest competitors Symbian (16.9%) and iOS (15%). There are a couple of big reasons why Android is leading the charge. The wide choice of hardware at all price points, the number of apps and constant development make sure it stays at the top of its game. These are the current versions of Android you'll get if you buy a device today.


Android  2.0
Although the first commercial version of Android (v1.0) was released in 2008, all phones today (even the entry level range) come with at least Android 2.1 (code-named Eclair, which was released towards the end of 2009). Version 2.0 onwards is when Android really came into its own. The user interface was completely revamped, support for higher screen resolutions and screen sizes was included, as were live wallpapers, camera flash support, Exchange email support and multiple account/contact synchronisations on one device.

  Within six months, Google announced the next update, Android 2.2 (code-named Froyo). FRoyo added the Wi-Fi hotspot functionality, USB tethering, better multimedia management, push notification and the ability to install application on the memory card instead of the phone memory. Other minor additions included performance improvements, an improved application launcher, batch and automatic app update support in Android Market, Adobe Flash support and voice dialing via Bluetooth. Froyo was also picked up as the OS of choice for tablets because of the built in support for larger displays and better stability.
  Another six months down the line, Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) was launched with the Google Nexus S. Gingerbread provided revamped user interface, an improved keyboard with better accuracy and simpler copy/paste functionality. It added support for a front camera, gyroscope and barometer on Android devices. Improvements on the power management front provided for better battery life. Gingerbread has been getting minor updates that improved on performance and fixed various security and functionality issues.


Android  3.0

Android 3.0 is a dedicated version for tablets, designed keeping a larger screen in mind (7-inch and larger). It includes a new interface with 3D effects, plus it tackles the issue of Android button standardisation. The OS removes the need to have physical buttons on the device by adding a system bar at the bottom. The system bar displays navigation buttons, notifications and even provides one-touch access to connectivity settings. Other improvements include a better onscreen keyboard, hardware acceleration, multi-core processor support and multi-tasking. Android 3.1 brought in support for external USB keyboards and joysticks, while Android 3.2 includes further bug fixes and overall performance improvements.


Android  4.0

Google's newest version of Android (version 4.0 code-named Ice Cream Sandwich) will be common OS for both Android phones and tablets going forward. It incorporates the best of both Android 2.X and 3.X - it has a new look and is lighter, improving performance of even existing devices. It also brings in new features like face unlock (face recognition), a customisable launcher, separation of installed widgets, a new tabbed browser, built-in photo editor, improved camera performance and a refreshed contacts app with social network integration. Android 4.0 is currently only on Samsung Galaxy Nexus phone, though the OS will be available as an update for a majority of existing flagship Android devices from all the major manufacturers.