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Android is Google’s mobile operating system, launched in September 2008, although its history technically began with the release of the Android alpha in November 2007. To this day, Android powers the majority of the world’s smartphones and comes in several different flavors across many phone makers.

Table of contents

What is Android?

Android Inc.

Android, before it was Android, was a company called Android Inc. That company was founded in Palo Alto, California, in 2003 by a crew of four: Andy Rubin, Rich Miner, Nick Sears, and Chris White. The company and its project was acquired by Google in 2005 for a sum of more than $50 million, although the exact number is unknown. The company’s founders joined Google as part of the deal.

In its infancy, Android was an operating system built not for touch screen smartphones like the iPhone, but rather BlackBerry-like devices with physical keyboards. It’s well documented that after Apple shocked the world with the iPhone, ahead of its nearest competition by at least a couple years, Google and Android Inc. had to go back to the drawing board to build something competitive.

Adoption by third-party makers

It didn’t take long after the launch of the iPhone for various manufacturers to enter the market with their alternatives — and Google’s Android immediately became the obvious platform of choice for just about everyone except Microsoft. HTC was the first manufacturer on board, and introduced the T-Mobile G1 running Android in September 2008. Soon after, HTC, Motorola, Samsung, and carriers like Sprint and T-Mobile jumped on board to form the Open Handset Alliance.

Android makers across the world

Iconic Android handsets

There have been thousands of Android phones released since Android’s inception, but some have been more important to the platform’s history than others. There was the original T-Mobile G1, as mentioned, but there was also the HTC One Google Play Edition, Moto G, Samsung Galaxy S4, and others. Some of the most iconic Android handsets include:

  • HTC G1
  • HTC Nexus One
  • Samsung Galaxy S, S2, S3, S4, and their successors
  • HTC Incredible S
  • Samsung Nexus S
  • Samsung Galaxy Nexus
  • Samsung Galaxy Note
  • Nokia 8
  • BlackBerry KeyOne
  • Google Pixel and its successors

In more modern times, there are several Android smartphones makers that popped up across various niches and in several international markets. Huawei is a dominant Android maker in China and many European markets, while Samsung is by far the most popular maker in the United States by far — effectively creating a duopoly with Apple. Today, there are dozens of major device makers contributing to the Android ecosystem.

Full list of Android OEMs

History of major Android versions

Android has seen countless software revisions over the course of its life, but in modern times the OS usually sees a major release on an annual cadence. In the earlier days, Google famously gave its major software releases dessert-themed codenames, but retired that practice in 2019 with the release of Android 10.

VersionNameReleaseDevices
2.3GingerbreadFebruary 9, 2011Nexus S
4.0Ice Cream SandwichOctober 19, 2011Galaxy Nexus
4.1Jelly BeanJuly 9, 2012Nexus 7
4.2Jelly BeanNovember 13, 2012Nexus 4, 10
4.3Jelly BeanJuly 24, 2013Nexus 7 (2013)
4.4KitKatOctober 31, 2013Nexus 5
5.0LollipopNovember 3, 2014Nexus 6, 9
5.1LollipopMarch 9, 2015Android One
6.0MarshmallowOctober 5, 2015Nexus 5X, 6P
7.0NougatAugust 22, 2016Nexus 5X, 6P
7.1NougatOctober 4, 2016Pixel, Pixel XL
8.0OreoAugust 21, 2017Pixel, Pixel XL
8.1OreoDecember 5, 2017Pixel, Pixel XL
9PieAugust 6, 2018Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL
1010September 3, 2019Pixel 3, 3a
1111September 8, 2020Pixel 4

List of major Android OS platforms

While Android proper is certainly the most widespread of Google’s Android operating systems, the company has also launched many offshoots of the main OS over the years. There’s Android Auto, Android Wear (now Wear OS), Android TV (now rebranded to Google TV), as well as versions of Android built for tablets and Android Things (now defunct).

Google Pixel 3 XL renders based on latest leaks are likely pretty close to the real deal

Avatar for Stephen Hall Jun 7 2018 - 5:55 pm PT
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After months of deafening silence, the Google Pixel 3 leaks have been popping up relentlessly for the last couple weeks. From the initial sketchy leaked screen protectors and reports last week to the in-the-flesh images that leaked earlier today, the picture can’t get much clearer. Now, right on cue, notorious phone mockup artist PhoneDesigner has shared their latest take based on today’s images.


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Yes, the mystery logo on leaked Pixel 3 XL prototype’s backside is Google’s

Avatar for Stephen Hall Jun 7 2018 - 2:08 pm PT
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A photo of a Google Pixel 3 XL prototype leaked earlier today, showing its notch-and-chin design, its ‘crosshatch’ code name, and the first look at what seems to be an all-glass back. If you had any doubt in your mind that it’s a real Google prototype, then I think those doubts can be settled. I found the mystery placeholder logo on the device’s back on an official Pixel 2 prototype from last year.


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Alleged Google Pixel 3 XL in-the-flesh images leak, showing notch, design, and more

Avatar for Stephen Hall Jun 7 2018 - 9:31 am PT
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Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL leak season is upon us, and today it’s kicking into full gear. A couple of images have leaked (via the XDA forums) that could very possibly be our first look at the elusive Pixel 3 XL in the flesh, showing the design of both the front and back, its display notch, and more.
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BlackBerry Key2 goes official w/ Snapdragon 660, 6GB RAM, Android 8.1 Oreo, for $649

Avatar for Ben Schoon Jun 7 2018 - 7:15 am PT
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One of the phones I was most excited to play with last year was the BlackBerry Keyone, the company’s return to physical keyboards, this time powered by Android. Unfortunately, it fell a little short mostly thanks to performance issues. Still, the phone proved fairly popular, and today, we’re getting its successor, the BlackBerry Key2.


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Francisco Franco’s Gratus app gets a fresh new look w/ Google’s Material Theming framework

Avatar for Ben Schoon Jun 5 2018 - 9:20 am PT
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If you’ve followed the Android space for a while, the name Francisco Franco might ring a bell. The well-known developer has created some fantastic apps over the years and last year, he introduced “Gratus.” Now, that app has been updated with an overhauled design based on Google’s new Material Theming framework.


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Lenovo’s ‘all-screen’ Z5 was basically a huge lie, packs notch and chin, but also affordable price

Avatar for Ben Schoon Jun 5 2018 - 6:42 am PT
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Notched displays are all the rage in 2018 with basically everyone jumping on board the train. Some OEMs, though, have looked past the trend to tried to create smartphones that lack that compromise and truly ditch all of the bezels. Lenovo’s Z5 was thought to be one of those, but it turns out that was just a big lie…


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Hands on: RED unapologetically wants the Hydrogen One want to be a consumer device

Avatar for Abner Li Jun 3 2018 - 10:51 am PT
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Almost a year ago, RED announced the Hydrogen One with a focus on modularity and accessories to serve professionals, as well as a “holographic” display for 3D content consumption. The former feature alone could be a significant justification for why this phone exists, however, what goes unrealized is that RED actually wants to create a consumer phone.


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