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Android (operating system)

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Android
DeveloperOpen Handset Alliance
Repository
Marketing targetmobile phones
LicenseApache license / Proprietary software
Official websitehttp://code.google.com/android/

Android is a software platform for mobile devices based on the Linux operating system and developed by Google and the Open Handset Alliance.[1] It allows developers to write managed code in Java that utilizes Google-developed software libraries,[2] but does not support programs developed in native code.

The unveiling of the Android platform on 5 November 2007 was announced with the founding of the Open Handset Alliance, a consortium of 34 hardware, software and telecom companies devoted to advancing open standards for mobile devices.[3] When released in 2008, most of the Android platform will be made available under the Apache free-software and open-source license.[4]

History

Google acquires Android Inc.

File:Android-logo.svg
Alternate logo.

In July 2005, Google acquired Android Inc., a small startup company based in Palo Alto, CA.[5] Android's co-founders who went to work at Google included Andy Rubin (co-founder of Danger), Rich Miner (co-founder of Wildfire), Nick Sears (once VP at T-Mobile), and Chris White (one of the first engineers at WebTV). At the time, little was known about the functions of Android Inc. other than they made software for mobile phones.[5] This began rumors that Google was planning to enter the mobile phone market, although it was unclear at the time what function they might perform in that market.

At Google, the team, led by Rubin, had developed a Linux-based mobile device OS which they were marketing to handset makers and carriers on the premise of providing a flexible, upgradeable system.[citation needed] It was reported that Google had already lined up a series of hardware component and software partners and signaled to carriers that it was open to various degrees of cooperation on their part.[6][7][8]

In December 2006, speculation that Google would be entering the mobile phone market began to grow once again.[9] Reports from both the BBC and The Wall Street Journal noted that Google wanted "Google search and Google applications on mobile, and it is working hard every day to deliver that." Print and online media outlets soon began reporting rumors that Google was developing a Google-branded handset.[10] More speculation followed reporting that as Google was defining technical specifications, they were showing prototypes to cellphone manufacturers and network operators. As many as 30 prototype phones are reported to be operating "in the wild".[11] Network World reported that Google’s phone was actually an open source software phone operating system, rather than a specific hardware device like the iPhone.[11] Phoronix had reported that Google was looking to team up on the GPhone with OpenMoko,[12] a project to create a smartphone platform using free software, including the Linux kernel.

Patents, patent applications filed

In September 2007, InformationWeek covered an Evalueserve study reporting that Google has filed several patent applications in the area of mobile telephony, hinting at the arrival of the gPhone in the (then) near future.[13][14] Some of the notable U.S. patents and patent applications filed by Google in the area of mobile telephony were as follows:[13]

Google applied for a patent for a mobile payment system to complement its plans to launch what was thought to be a Google phone.[8][15] Known as GPay,[16] it covered a system that would let the user send a text message to Google giving the details of a payment to a specified recipient. GPay would then debit the user's bank account, crediting the money to the payee. (This patent may be invalid in light of prior art.[17])

Open Handset Alliance founded

Main article: Open Handset Alliance

"Today's announcement is more ambitious than any single 'Google Phone' that the press has been speculating about over the past few weeks. Our vision is that the powerful platform we're unveiling will power thousands of different phone models."

-Eric Schmidt, Google Chairman/CEO[18]

On 5 November, 2007, the Open Handset Alliance, a consortium of several companies which include Google, HTC, Intel, Motorola, Qualcomm, T-Mobile, Sprint Nextel and NVIDIA, was unveiled with the goal to develop open standards for mobile devices.[1] Along with the formation of the Open Handset Alliance, the OHA also unveiled their first product, Android, an open source mobile device platform based on the Linux operating system.[1] Google Chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt took a moment in the official press release to dispel all previous rumors and speculation of a stand-alone Google phone existing.

On the day Android was revealed, several notable companies in the mobile phone market who were not a part of the OHA released responses to the announcement.[19] John Forsyth of Symbian stated, "If Google was not involved the industry would have just yawned and rolled over. We take it seriously but we are the ones with real phones, real phone platforms, and a wealth of volume built up over years." Apple spokeswoman Natalie Kerris remained neutral, saying "We have a great relationship with Google and this doesn't change anything. They are certainly an important partner for iPhone." Scott Horn from Microsoft's Windows Mobile marketing team stated, "It really sounds that they are getting a whole bunch of people together to build a phone and that's something we've been doing for five years." Nokia has stated, "We don't see this as a threat." Later, Nokia spokesman Kari Tuutti stated, "It's not ruled out at all. If we would see this as beneficial we would think about taking part in it."[20] Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer stated, "Their efforts are just some words on paper right now. They have a press release, we have many, many millions of customers, great software, many hardware devices and they're welcome in our world."[21]

Development

Early Android device.

On 12 November, 2007 the OHA released a preview of the Android software development kit which includes development and debugging tools, a set of libraries, a device emulator, documentation, sample projects, tutorials, FAQs, and more.[4] Developers are required to download the Android SDK to an x86-based computer running Windows XP or Vista, Mac OS X 10.4.8 or later, or Linux (tested on Ubuntu Linux Dapper Drake). Requirements also include Java Development Kit, Apache Ant, and Python 2.2 or later. Eclipse 3.2 or later is the only officially supported IDE through Android Development Tools Plugin but the programmer is free to use command line tools to create, build and debug Android applications.

The feedback on developing applications for the Android platform have been mixed.[22] Some issues being blamed for the frustration include bugs, lack of documentation, inadequate QA infrastructure, and no public issue-tracking system (Google announced an Issue Tracker on January 18th 2008).[23] MergeLab mobile startup founder Adam MacBeth stated, "Functionality is not there, is poorly documented or just doesn't work... It's clearly not ready for prime time."[24] Despite these, Android-targeted applications started to pop-up already on the week after the announcement of the platform. The very first publicly available application was the Snake game.[25][26]

Google is currently offering a cumulative of 10 million US dollars in prize money for a competition rewarding developers of the most innovative applications for the Android platform.[27]

In the Mobile World Congress in February 12, 2008, Google unveiled at least three Android operating system prototypes. The prototypes are Linux-based, open-operating systems. At the ARM booth, a prototype displays several basic Google applications, where a 'd-pad' controls zooming of items in the dock with a relatively quick response.

Several manufacturers have expressed interest in implementing Google's Android software platform; Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics will unveil devices based on the platform by the end of 2008 in the United States.[citation needed]

Features

With the release of the SDK, features and specifications for Android are slowly being released.[28][29]

Handset layouts
The platform is adaptable to both larger, VGA, 2D graphics library, 3D graphics library based on OpenGL ES 1.0 specifications, traditional smartphone layouts.
Storage
SQLite for structured data storage
Connectivity
Android supports a wide variety of connectivity technologies including GSM, CDMA, Bluetooth, EDGE, EV-DO, 3G, and Wi-Fi.
Messaging
Both SMS and MMS are available forms of messaging including threaded text messaging.
Web browser
Main article: WebKit
The web browser available in Android is based on the open-source WebKit application framework.
Java virtual machine
Software written in Java can be compiled into Dalvik bytecodes and executed in the Dalvik virtual machine, which is a specialized VM implementation designed for mobile device use, although not technically a standard Java Virtual Machine.
Media support
Android will support advanced audio/video/still media formats such as MPEG-4, H.264, MP3, and AAC, AMR, JPEG, PNG, GIF.
Additional hardware support
Android is fully capable of utilizing video/still cameras, touchscreens, GPS, compasses, accelerometers, and accelerated 3D graphics.
Development environment
Includes a device emulator, tools for debugging, memory and performance profiling, a plugin for the Eclipse IDE.

Criticism

Android has been criticized by some because it is not really free or open-source software despite what was announced by Google. Some parts of the SDK are still proprietary and closed source, and some believe it is a conscious decision to control the platform by Google.[30][31][32][33] The Android Software Development Kit License Agreement[34] states that:

3.2 You agree that Google (or Google's licensors) own all legal right, title and interest in and to the SDK, including any intellectual property rights which subsist in the SDK. Use, reproduction and distribution of components of the SDK licensed under an open source software license are governed solely by the terms of that open source software license and not by this License Agreement. Until the SDK is released under an open source license, you may not extract the source code or create a derivative work of the SDK.

Furthermore, at least initially, software installed by end-users must be written in Java, and will not have access to lower level device APIs.[35] This provides end-users with less control over their phone's functionality than other free and open source phone platforms, such as OpenMoko.

Another issue is related to Android's disregard of established Java standards, i.e. Java SE and ME. This prevents compatibility between Java applications written for those platforms and those for the Android platform. Android only reuses the Java language syntax but does not provide the full class libraries and APIs bundled with Java SE or ME.[36]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Industry Leaders Announce Open Platform for Mobile Devices" (HTML). Open Handset Alliance. 2007-11-05. Retrieved 2007-11-05. Cite error: The named reference "AndroidAnnoucement" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Google's Android parts ways with Java industry group".
  3. ^ "Open Handset Alliance" (HTML). Open Handset Alliance. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
  4. ^ a b "Open Handset Alliance Releases Android SDK" (HTML). Open Handset Alliance. 2007-11-12. Retrieved 2007-11-12.
  5. ^ a b Elgin, Ben (2005-08-17). "Google Buys Android for Its Mobile Arsenal" (HTML). Business Week. Retrieved 2007-11-07.
  6. ^ Block, Ryan (2007-08-28). "Google is working on a mobile OS, and it's due out shortly" (HTML). Engadget. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
  7. ^ Sharma, Amol (2007-08-02). "Google Pushes Tailored Phones To Win Lucrative Ad Market" (HTML). The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2007-11-06. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ a b "Google admits to mobile phone plan" (HTML). directtraffic.org. Google News. 2007-03-20. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
  9. ^ McKay, Martha (2006). "Can iPhone become your phone?; Linksys introduces versatile line for cordless service". The Record: L9. {{cite journal}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |journal= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |quotes= ignored (help)
  10. ^ Ackerman, Elise (2007-08-30). "Blogosphere Aflutter With Linux-Based phone Rumors" (HTML). Linux Insider. Retrieved 2007-11-07.
  11. ^ a b Cox, John (2007-10-08). "Why Google's phone won't kill Apple's iPhone" (HTML). Network World. New York Times. p. 2. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
  12. ^ Larabel, Michael (2007-08-06). "Google Using OpenMoko For Phone?" (HTML). Phoronix. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
  13. ^ a b Claburn, Thomas (2007-09-19). "Google's Secret Patent Portfolio Predicts gPhone" (HTML). Information Week. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
  14. ^ Pearce, James Quintana (2007-09-20). "Google's Strong Mobile-Related Patent Portfolio" (HTML). mocoNews.net. Retrieved 2007-11-07.
  15. ^ "GPhone rumours escalate with new patent" (HTML). Mobile Marketing News. 2007-04-09. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
  16. ^ "Mobile patent application fuels Google Phone speculation" (HTML). directtraffic.org. Google News. 2007-06-09. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
  17. ^ "Open source mobile payment software" (HTML). sourceforge.net. Sourceforge. 2007-01-01. Retrieved 2007-12-31.
  18. ^ Schmidt, Eric (2007-11-05). "Industry Leaders Announce Open Platform for Mobile Devices" (HTML). Open Handset Alliance. Retrieved 2007-11-05. Today's announcement is more ambitious than any single 'Google Phone' that the press has been speculating about over the past few weeks. Our vision is that the powerful platform we're unveiling will power thousands of different phone models.
  19. ^ Miller, Paul (2007-11-05). "Symbian, Nokia, Microsoft and Apple downplay Android relevance" (HTML). Engadget. Retrieved 2007-11-08.
  20. ^ Melanson, Donald (2007-11-06). "Nokia says Google alliance participation "not ruled out at all"" (HTML). Engadget. Retrieved 2007-11-08.
  21. ^ Williams, Martyn (2007-11-08). "Google's Android just a press release, says Ballmer" (HTML). Computerworld. Retrieved 2007-11-08.
  22. ^ Paul, Ryan (2007-12-19). "Developing apps for Google Android: it's a mixed bag" (HTML). ars technica. Retrieved 2007-12-19.
  23. ^ "You can't rush perfection, but now you can file bugs against it".
  24. ^ Morrison, Scott (2007-12-19). "Glitches Bug Google's Android Software" (HTML). The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2007-12-19.
  25. ^ "Snake". Retrieved 2008-01-26.
  26. ^ "First Android Application - Snake" (HTML). Mobiles2day. 2007-11-14. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
  27. ^ "Android Developer Challenge" (HTML). code.google.com. Retrieved 2008-01-11.
  28. ^ "What is Android?" (HTML). Google. 2007-11-12. Retrieved 2007-11-12.
  29. ^ Topolsky, Joshua (2007-11-12). "Google's Android OS early look SDK now available" (HTML). Engadget. Retrieved 2007-11-12.
  30. ^ "When will we see more code released under open source licenses?". Google. 2008-01-29. Retrieved 2008-02-03. Over time, more of the code that makes up Android will be released, but at this point, we have been concentrating on shipping an SDK that helps application developers get started. In short: Stay tuned. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  31. ^ Slobojan, Ryan (2007-11-19). "Dalvik, Android's virtual machine, generates significant debate". infoq.com. Retrieved 2008-03-01. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  32. ^ Topic, Dalibor (2007-11-14). "What Does Android Mean for Sun's OpenJDK". Retrieved 2008-02-03. Android is proprietary, despite being marketed as open source. Android has a compatibility pledge, signed and kept behind closed doors. Android has no governance model, nor any indication there will be one. Android has no spec, and the license prohibits alternative implementations, as that's not a use licensed by Google in the SDK license. Android is completely controlled by Google, and Google reserves the right to kill off competitors applications if they hurt Google financially, etc. It's only as open as it is in Google's financial interest to allow openness, by design. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  33. ^ Topic, Dalibor (2007-11-12). "QOTD: Google's license for the Android SDK". Retrieved 2008-02-03. There is a bunch of other rather objectionable stuff, but dear me, this is pretty bad as far as license agreements for pseudo-open-source software go {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  34. ^ "Android Software Development Kit License Agreement". Google. 2007-11-12. Retrieved 2008-02-03. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  35. ^ "Google Android - a sneak preview". TheRegister. 2008-02-02. Retrieved 2008-02-03. You may write in Java, but the byte code is Dalvik...So all initial Android development is in Dalvik, thus disappointed many of the developers who were looking for a system which was better at hitting the metal of a phone than Symbian...There may be a future path to allow C development, but initially this will be in the form of private libraries which are only available to your Dalvik application. Google has experimented with this to port Quake to Android. Dalvik is, of course, Open Source (under an Apache 2.0 license). But in practice, the restriction of all development being within Dalvik draws the line on what is open and what is closed in a very interesting way...But Android is not (yet) open beyond Dalvik. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  36. ^ "Dalvik: how Google routed around Sun's IP-based licensing restrictions on Java ME". Stefano Mazzocchi.
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