Android
Android is Google’s mobile operating system, based on the Linux kernel, used in smartphones, tablets, watches, televisions and other devices from many manufacturers
What it means, how it is used and where it comes up, with its related concepts.
What it is and how it works
Its foundation is an open-source project (AOSP) that any manufacturer can adapt, which explains the wide range of devices and versions in use. Most Android phones also include Google’s services, such as Google Play, which are not open source and require a licence agreement.
Compared with iOS, which Apple uses only on its own devices and controls end to end, Android offers more hardware diversity and customisation, at the cost of greater fragmentation in versions and screens. For app designers and developers, that variety means testing across different sizes, pixel densities and system versions.
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