Android (operating system) Features,Market Value
Both Android and Android phone makers are the target of diverse patent lawsuits. On twelve August 2010, Oracle sued Google over claimed infringement of copyrights and patents associated with the Java programming language. Specifically, the patent infringement claim references seven u. s. patents together with US 5966702 "Method and equipment for pre-processing and packaging category files", and US 6910205 "Interpreting functions utilizing a hybrid of virtual and native machine instructions".
In response, Google submitted multiple lines of defense, counterclaiming that Android didn't infringe on Oracle's patents or copyright, that Oracle's patents were invalid, different|and several other} other defenses. They said that Android relies on Apache Harmony, a clean space implementation of the Java category libraries, and an independently developed virtual machine known as Dalvik.
Microsoft has additionally sued many makers of Android devices for patent infringement, and collects patent licensing fees from others. In October 2011 Microsoft said that they had signed license agreements with 10 Android device makers, accounting for fifty fifth of worldwide revenue for Android devices. These embrace Samsung and HTC.
Google has publicly expressed its dislike for the present patent landscape within the u. s., accusing Apple, Oracle and Microsoft of attempting to require down Android through patent litigation, instead of innovating and competing with higher product and services. In August 2011, Google started the method of buying Motorola Mobility for US$12.5 billion, that was viewed partially as a defensive live to shield Android, since Motorola Mobility holds quite seventeen,000 patents. In December 2011 Google acquired within the region of a thousand patents from IBM, which can aid in defense against Oracle.In February 2012, the U.S. Department of Justice and therefore the European Union approved Google's aquisition of Motorola Mobility
Foundation
Android, Inc. was founded in Palo Alto, California, u. s. in October, 2003 by Andy Rubin (co-founder of Danger), wealthy Miner (co-founder of Wildfire Communications, Inc.), Nick Sears (once VP at T-Mobile), and Chris White (headed style and interface development at WebTV) to develop, in Rubin's words "...smarter mobile devices that are additional awake to its owner's location and preferences". Despite the plain past accomplishments of the founders and early workers, Android Inc. operated secretly, revealing solely that it had been engaged on software for mobile phones. that very same year, Rubin ran out of cash. Steve Perlman, an in depth friend of Rubin, brought him $10,000 in take advantage an envelope and refused a stake within the company.
Acquisition by Google
Google acquired Android Inc. on August seventeen, 2005, creating Android Inc. a completely owned subsidiary of Google Inc. Key workers of Android Inc., together with Andy Rubin, wealthy Miner and Chris White, stayed at the corporate once the acquisition. Not abundant was known regarding Android Inc. at the time of the acquisition, however several assumed that Google was progressing to enter the mobile market with this move
Features
The Android Emulator default home screen (v1.5)Current options and specifications:
Handset layouts
The platform is adaptable to larger, VGA, 2nd graphics library, 3D graphics library based mostly on OpenGL ES two.0 specifications, and ancient smartphone layouts.
Storage
SQLite, a light-weight relational database, is employed for knowledge storage functions.
Connectivity
Android supports connectivity technologies together with GSM/EDGE, IDEN, CDMA, EV-DO, UMTS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, LTE, NFC and WiMAX.
Messaging
SMS and MMS are on the market styles of messaging, together with threaded text messaging and currently Android Cloud To Device Messaging (C2DM) is additionally a region of Android Push
Messaging service.
Multiple language support
Android supports multiple languages.
Web browser
the net browser on the market in Android relies on the open-source WebKit layout engine, as well as Chrome's V8 JavaScript engine. The browser scores 100/100 on the Acid3 check on Android four.0.
Java support
whereas most Android applications are written in Java, there's no Java Virtual Machine within the platform and Java byte code isn't executed. Java categories are compiled into Dalvik executables and run on Dalvik, a specialised virtual machine designed specifically for Android and optimized for battery-powered mobile devices with restricted memory and CPU. J2ME support may be provided via third-party applications.
Media support
Android supports the subsequent audio/video/still media formats: WebM, H.263, H.264 (in 3GP or MP4 container), MPEG-4 SP, AMR, AMR-WB (in 3GP container), AAC, HE-AAC (in MP4 or 3GP container), MP3, MIDI, Ogg Vorbis, FLAC, WAV, JPEG, PNG, GIF, BMP.
Streaming media support
RTP/RTSP streaming (3GPP PSS, ISMA), HTML progressive download (HTML5 tag). Adobe Flash Streaming (RTMP) and HTTP Dynamic Streaming are supported by the Flash plugin. Apple HTTP Live Streaming is supported by RealPlayer for Android,and by the operating system in Android three.0 (Honeycomb).
Additional hardware support
Android will use video/still cameras, touchscreens, GPS, accelerometers, gyroscopes, barometers, magnetometers, dedicated gaming controls, proximity and pressure sensors, thermometers, accelerated 2nd bit blits (with hardware orientation, scaling, pixel format conversion) and accelerated 3D graphics.
Multi-touch
Android has native support for multi-touch that was initially created on the market in handsets like the HTC Hero. The feature was originally disabled at the kernel level (possibly to avoid infringing Apple's patents on touch-screen technology at the time). Google has since released an update for the Nexus One and therefore the Motorola Droid that allows multi-touch natively.
Bluetooth
Supports A2DP, AVRCP, sending files (OPP), accessing the phone book (PBAP), voice dialing and sending contacts between phones. Keyboard, mouse and joystick (HID) support is offered in Android three.1+, and in earlier versions through manufacturer customizations and third-party applications.
Video callingAndroid doesn't support native video calling, however some handsets have a customized version of the operating system that supports it, either via the UMTS network (like the Samsung Galaxy S) or over IP. Video calling through Google speak is offered in Android two.3.4 and later. Gingerbread permits Nexus S to position web calls with a SIP account. this enables for enhanced VoIP dialing to different SIP accounts and even phone numbers. Skype 2.1 offers video calling in Android two.3, together with front camera support.
Multitasking
Multitasking of applications is offered.
Voice based mostly options
Google search through voice has been on the market since initial unleash. Voice actions for calling, texting, navigation, etc. are supported on Android two.2 onwards.
Tethering
Android supports tethering, that permits a phone to be used as a wireless/wired Wi-Fi hotspot. Before Android two.2 this was supported by third-party applications or manufacturer customizations.
Screen capture
Android supports capturing a screenshot by pressing the ability and volume-down buttons at constant time.[80] before Android four.0, the sole strategies of capturing a screenshot were through manufacturer and third-party customizations or otherwise by employing a computer association (DDMS developer's tool). These different strategies are still on the market with the most recent Android.
External storage
Most Android devices embrace microSD slot and may browse microSD cards formatted with FAT32, Ext3fs or Ext4fs file system. to permit use of high-capacity storage media like USB flash drives and USB HDDs, several Android tablets additionally embrace USB 'A' receptacle. Storage formatted with FAT32 is handled by Linux Kernel VFAT driver, whereas third party solutions are needed to handle different widespread file systems like NTFS, HFS and and exFAT.
Uses
While Android is intended primarily for smartphones and tablets, the open and customizable nature of the operating system permits it to be used on different electronics, together with laptops and netbooks, smartbooks, and ebook readers. Further, Google intends to bring Android to televisions with Google TV, and therefore the OS has seen niche applications on wristwatches, headphones, automotive CD and DVD players,digital cameras,transportable media players and landlines.
The first commercially on the market phone to run Android was the HTC Dream, released on twenty two October 2008.[90] In early 2010 Google collaborated with HTC to launch its flagship Android device, the Nexus One. This was followed later in 2010 with the Samsung-made Nexus S and in 2011 with the Galaxy Nexus.
iOS and Android two.3.3 'Gingerbread' is also came upon to twin boot on a jailbroken iPhone or iPod bit with the assistance of OpeniBoot and iDroid.
Android Market
Android Market is that the on-line software store developed by Google for Android devices. An application program ("app") known as "Market" is preinstalled on most Android devices and permits users to browse and download apps printed by third-party developers, hosted on Android Market. As of October 2011 there have been quite three hundred,000 apps on the market for Android, and therefore the estimated variety of applications downloaded from the Android Market as of December 2011 exceeded ten billion. The operating system itself is put in on a hundred thirty million total devices.
Only devices that fits Google's compatibility needs 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 people who are compatible with the user's device, and developers might prohibit their applications to specific carriers or countries for business reasons.
Google has participated within the Android Market by giving many applications themselves, together with 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 native Search), Google Goggles that searches by image, Gesture Search (for using finger-written letters and numbers to look 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", that permits users to look, write messages, and initiate calls by voice.
Alternatively, users will install apps directly onto the device if they need the application's APK file or from third party app stores like the Amazon Appstore
In December 2011 it had been announced the Pentagon has officially approved Android to be used by its personnel
Market share
Research company Canalys estimated in Q2 two009 that Android had a 2.8% share of worldwide smartphone shipments. By this fall 2010 this had grown to thirty third of the market, turning into the top-selling smartphone platform. This estimate includes the Tapas and OMS variants of Android. By Q3 2011 Gartner estimates quite 0.5 (52.5%) of the smartphone market belongs to Android.
In February 2010 ComScore said the Android platform had nine.0% of the U.S. smartphone market, as measured by current mobile subscribers. This figure was up from an earlier estimate of five.2% in November 2009. By the tip of Q3 2010 Android's U.S. market share had grown to twenty one.4%.
In might 2010, Android's initial quarter U.S. sales surpassed that of the rival iPhone platform. consistent with a report by the NPD cluster, Android achieved twenty fifth smartphone sales within the US market, up 8 May 1945 from the December quarter. within the second quarter, Apple's iOS was up by 11 November, indicating that Android is taking market share mainly from RIM, and still has got to compete with significant client demand for brand spanking new competitor offerings. Furthermore, analysts pointed to benefits that Android has as a multi-channel, multi-carrier OS. In this fall 2010 Android had fifty nine of the full put in user base of Apple's iOS within the U.S. and forty sixth of the full put in user base of iOS in Europe.
As of June 2011, Google said that 550,000 new Android devices were being activated on a daily basis — up from four hundred,000 per day a month earlier — and quite a hundred million devices had been activated. Android hit three hundred,000 activations per day back in December 2010. By July 14, 2011, 550,000 Android devices were being activated by Google on a daily basis, with 4.4% growth per week. On one August 2011, Canalys estimated that Android had regarding forty eighth of the smartphone market share. On October thirteen, 2011, Google announced that there have been one hundred ninety million Android devices within the market.[133] As of November sixteen, 2011, throughout the Google Music announcement "These attend Eleven", two hundred million Android devices had been activated.[134] based mostly on this variety, with 1.9% of Android devices being tablets, approximately three.8 million Android Honeycomb Tablets are sold. On December twenty, 2011. Andy Rubin announced that Google was activating 700,000 new Android devices daily.
Trademarks
In order to use the Android trademark, device makers should make sure that the device complies with the Compatibility Definition Document (CDD) and then get permission from Google. Devices should additionally meet this definition to be eligible to license Google's closed-source applications, together with the Android Market. Participation within the compatibility program is freed from charge.
In September 2010, Skyhook Wireless filed a lawsuit against Google within which they alleged that Google had used the compatibility document to dam Skyhook's mobile positioning service (XPS) from Motorola's Android mobile devices. In December 2010 a choose denied Skyhook's motion for preliminary injunction, saying that Google had not closed off the likelihood of accepting a revised version of Skyhook's XPS service, which Motorola had terminated their contract with Skyhook as a result of Skyhook needed to disable Google's location knowledge assortment functions on Motorola's devices, which might have violated Motorola's obligations to Google and its carriers
Both Android and Android phone makers are the target of diverse patent lawsuits. On twelve August 2010, Oracle sued Google over claimed infringement of copyrights and patents associated with the Java programming language.[151] Specifically, the patent infringement claim references seven u. s. patents together with US 5966702 "Method and equipment for pre-processing and packaging category files", and US 6910205 "Interpreting functions utilizing a hybrid of virtual and native machine instructions".
In response, Google submitted multiple lines of defense, counterclaiming that Android didn't infringe on Oracle's patents or copyright, that Oracle's patents were invalid, different|and several other} other defenses. They said that Android relies on Apache Harmony, a clean space implementation of the Java category libraries, and an independently developed virtual machine known as Dalvik.
Microsoft has additionally sued many makers of Android devices for patent infringement, and collects patent licensing fees from others. In October 2011 Microsoft said that they had signed license agreements with 10 Android device makers, accounting for fifty fifth of worldwide revenue for Android devices. These embrace Samsung and HTC.
Google has publicly expressed its dislike for the present patent landscape within the u. s., accusing Apple, Oracle and Microsoft of attempting to require down Android through patent litigation, instead of innovating and competing with higher product and services.In August 2011, Google started the method of buying Motorola Mobility for US$12.5 billion, that was viewed partially as a defensive live to shield Android, since Motorola Mobility holds quite seventeen,000 patents. In December 2011 Google acquired within the region of a thousand patents from IBM, which can aid in defense against Oracle.In February 2012, the U.S. Department of Justice and therefore the European Union approved Google's aquisition of Motorola Mobility
