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14,457 'Android' stories May 2011 - February 2015
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Breaking news for Android. Get the latest on apps, carriers, devices, and more!

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 buying ‘some’ tech & IP from Softcard, Wallet to be pre-installed by select carriers

Avatar for Stephen Hall Feb 23 2015 - 9:14 am PT
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Google has announced this morning that the company is planning to pre-install its Google Wallet mobile payments app on the phones of some carriers, notably those sold by AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile USA and Verizon Wireless. While Google was reportedly in talks to acquire the mobile payments company Softcard—previously known as ISIS— earlier this year, the Mountain View company says that it is at this time simply acquiring “some” technology and intellectual property…


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HTC teases ‘bigger boom’ for upcoming HTC One M9

Avatar for Stephen Hall Feb 23 2015 - 8:50 am PT
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The teases keep rolling in as HTC, Samsung, and others compete for the spotlight this week going into the Mobile World Congress. We’ve already seen several HTC One M9 leaks from @upleaks, including the device’s purported specs and another today that revealed the device’s three color variations. Now the HTC Ireland Twitter account has come out with a video that looks to be teasing the device’s speakers.

Not long ago a system dump of the device revealed the apps that will be packed with HTC’s Sense 7, making it clear that software-wise, the next HTC One isn’t going to be much of a departure from its predecessor. The below tease tells us that we’re six days away from the announcement of the device, but a recent tweet from the Taiwanese company’s UK Twitter account originally revealed that the “new HTC One” will be announced March 1st.

YouTube Kids mobile apps arrive w/ family-focused content & parental controls

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Feb 23 2015 - 7:13 am PT
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[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUmMAAPX6E8]

Google just announced that its new YouTube Kids app is available for both iOS and Android devices starting today. The new app for kids is the first of its kind for Google, but the launch follows reports that Google was preparing kid-friendly versions of YouTube, Chrome, Search and other apps.
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HTC One M9 purportedly coming in both ‘Dark Gunmetal’ & ‘Gold’ color variants

Avatar for Stephen Hall Feb 23 2015 - 6:10 am PT
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Purported HTC One M9 renders <a href="http://9to5google.com/2015/01/28/evleaks-htc-one-hima-render-m9/">via Evleaks</a>

The next HTC One is right around the corner, but more and more details continue to stream out as the device’s March 1st reveal date gets closer. Most recently, a system dump of the software shipping on the HTC One M9—codenamed “Hima”—leaked out, giving us an idea of what HTC’s Sense 7 software is going to look like (spoiler: not much different than Sense 6). Today, the same source of that information has come out to share the color variants of the device.


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Toyota has “no plans” to offer Android Auto, prefers own in-car entertainment system

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Feb 23 2015 - 5:55 am PT
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Toyota, which makes three of the top-ten best-selling cars in the USA, has told the NY Times that it “currently has no plans” to offer Android Auto in US-sold cars.

John Hanson, the national manager of Toyota’s advanced technology communications, said while the company talked frequently with both Google and Apple, it currently had no plans to adopt Android Auto or CarPlay in the United States.

“We may all eventually wind up there, but right now we prefer to use our in-house proprietary platforms for those kinds of functions,” Mr. Hanson said.

Google created the Open Automotive Alliance for manufacturers committed to bringing the Android platform to cars, whether through original in-car entertainment systems or after-market equipment. Toyota was a notable omission from the 28 car manufacturers listed.

The company is also going it alone on the self-driving car front, currently testing a Lexus LS 600h using what appears to be the same laser-scanning equipment used on Google’s autonomous cars.

New wider color-screen smartwatch appears on Pebble’s website

Avatar for Stephen Hall Feb 23 2015 - 5:19 am PT
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Update: The image has been removed and replaced with the below image of an actual pebble… Oops?

We told you last week that Pebble is likely about to announce the next-generation of its smartwatch, featuring a thinner design, a color e-paper-like display, and a revamped OS. Now, thanks to an image hosted on Pebble’s own servers, we have a look at a device with a physical appearance matching the device we described. The device looks to have a larger bezel, as well as buttons that are smaller compared to its predecessor.


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Review: A-Audio’s Icon headphones pack Bluetooth and active noise cancellation in a premium package (Video)

Avatar for Dom Esposito Feb 22 2015 - 2:40 pm PT
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These days, it seems like there is an endless variety of headphones to choose from. With new models popping up on a weekly basis, it’s hard to sort through the crowd to find the ones that fit you best. When it comes to active noise cancellation this elite selection thins out a bit, but there are only a handful that fall into the same category as A-Audio’s Icon over-ear headphones.

From a functionality perspective, these headphones give you everything but the kitchen sink. They can be used wirelessly via Bluetooth with active noise cancellation, in passive (wired) mode, and even feature dual sound profiles. Along with that, they include a wide variety of accessories that offer more than enough for any situation…


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Developer hacks Android Wear to show iPhone notifications (Video)

Avatar for Stephen Hall Feb 22 2015 - 9:04 am PT
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Android Wear is great, but if you’re an iOS user, it looks like the Apple Watch is going to be your only option for a while. Google has yet to make any of Android Wear’s functionality compatible with Apple’s operating system, and it doesn’t look like they plan to do so any time soon. But that’s not stopping one developer, Mohammad Abu-Garbeyyeh, from hacking Android Wear to at least support notifications from iOS devices.


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Judge dismisses class-action anti-trust suit against Google over Android & Search practices

Avatar for Chance Miller Feb 20 2015 - 5:58 pm PT
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Last May, Google was hit with an class-action anti-trust lawsuit over several of its Android and Search practices. The case centered around the idea that Google was forcing Android handset manufacturers to make its search engine the default on all their devices, as well as pre-load apps such as YouTube. These practices, in turn, drove up the price of Android devices. Reuters reports this evening, however, that a federal judge has dismissed the lawsuit due to a lack of evidence from the plaintiffs.


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New search box user interface rolling out to Play Store Android app

Avatar for Stephen Hall Feb 20 2015 - 1:59 pm PT
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A server-side update is rolling out the Play Store Android app that packs a pretty subtle-yet-big update to the way search works. Currently, there’s a large toolbar at the top of the app labeled “Play Store,” and searching for something means tapping the magnifying glass icon in the top-right corner. This update, which was first posted about on the Google+ page of Kirill Grouchnikov, replaces that toolbar with a much more prominent search box.

Additionally, users will notice that tapping the magnifying glass from elsewhere within the app will slide out the search box from the right. This update will bring the Play Store app more in line with the design of some of Google’s other apps, the one you’re most familiar with likely being the Google Now launcher:

According to another post on Grouchnikov’s Google+ page, the update is coming “soon”. And, as mentioned, this is a server-side update that Google will push over-the-air. Don’t bother checking the Play Store because the app is going to be updated behind the scenes. Like magic.

WSJ: Google looking to revive Wallet to compete with Apple Pay, relaunch at I/O in May

Avatar for Chance Miller Feb 20 2015 - 7:01 am PT
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According to a report out of The Wall Street Journal, Google is currently working to boost its Wallet payment service in order to keep up with Apple Pay. Citing “people familiar with the matter,” the report claims that Google is currently in talks with carriers, banks, and device makers about reviving Wallet. The company currently plans to launch its new service at Google I/O in late May, according to the report.


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Yahoo unveils new suite of dev tools including search integration for other apps

Avatar for Zac Hall Feb 19 2015 - 12:50 pm PT
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After announcing its first dev con last December, Yahoo today kicked off its mobile developer conference in San Francisco where it unveiled five new products for mobile app makers. As suspected, Yahoo revealed the latest tools from Flurry, the mobile ad and analytics firm it acquired last July.

This includes Flurry Analytics Explorer, a new dashboard for the Flurry Analytics system which it says enables developers to discover more insights with than before, and Flurry Pulse, which lets app builders “share app signals with partners using their existing Flurry SDK implementations and the click of a button.”
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BlackBerry update gives users access to Android apps via the Amazon Appstore

Avatar for Chance Miller Feb 19 2015 - 10:45 am PT
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BlackBerry today has revealed a major software update for all of its BlackBerry 10 devices. Most notably, the update adds the ability for all BB10 devices to access Android applications. Bumping the build number to version 10.3.1, this update is rolling out to all BlackBerry 10-powered devices, including the Z10, Q10, and Z30. The company announced announced its intentions to add this feature in June of last year.


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Pebble teases new model, sources say thinner watch with color screen in the works

Avatar for Stephen Hall Feb 19 2015 - 10:44 am PT
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Pebble hasn’t introduced new hardware (besides some pretty new colors) since it launched the Pebble Steel in January of last year, but now it appears that the company is about to introduce what’s next in the pipeline. Rather than just iterating on the device’s current hardware with a black-and-white epaper display, we’re hearing the next Pebble might be getting a brand new color display and an overall design that’s a bit thinner…


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LG G Flex 2 available from Sprint starting March 13th

Avatar for Stephen Hall Feb 19 2015 - 9:28 am PT
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The LG G Flex 2 was announced at CES 2015, and today Sprint has announced that it will be carrying the device effective March 13th. If you’re ordering from Sprint, the G Flex 2 will be available in an exclusive color: Volcano Red.

The wait is almost over for one of the hottest and most awarded phones at CES this year – LG G Flex2™. Sprint will offer the next generation of the revolutionary LG G Flex smartphone beginning on March 13. Only Sprint customers will have access to the striking Volcano Red color – it will also be available in Platinum Silver.

The G Flex 2 has a full HD 5.5-inch curved P-OLED display, a 2.0 GHz Snapdragon 810 processor from Qualcomm (with an Octa-Core 64-bit CPU), a rear-facing 13-megapixel camera with OIS+ and Laser Auto Focus, a 3,000mAh battery, and ships with Android 5.0 Lollipop.

If you can’t wait until March 13th to give Sprint your money, the carrier is opening preorders for the G Flex 2 on February 20th at http://www.sprint.com/flex2.

AT&T also announced in January that they had plans to launch the device sometime in Q1 of this year, but the landing page for the G Flex 2 on AT&T’s website still says that it’s “Coming soon.”

Google Inbox makes its way to iPad, now works with Firefox and Safari on the web

Avatar for Stephen Hall Feb 19 2015 - 7:38 am PT
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Google has this morning announced that its Inbox email app experience made for Gmail is officially expanding to tablets, and both the iOS (you can read more about the iOS update over at 9to5Mac) and Android versions of the app (which actually received the update in December) are now ready to go.

Since the app was launched, its web interface was tied down to Google’s own Chrome browser. But Google announced change to that requirement today as well…
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Moto 360 update to Android Wear 5.0.2 begins rolling out (Update: All the watches!)

Avatar for Mike Beasley Feb 18 2015 - 3:56 pm PT
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Update: It looks like 5.0.2 is now rolling out to most Android Wear devices.

Motorola has pushed out a Android Wear update for the Moto 360 smartwatch. The update sports “a variety of system optimizations and security updates to improve performance and stability” and includes an updated version of Google’s Play Services software.

The update is built on Android Wear 5.0.2, making the Moto 360 one of the first devices (if not the first) to run this version of the operating system.

The update is being rolled out to users over the next few days. Users who have access to the update will be alerted to its availability and prompted to install it using your smartphone’s internet connection.

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Google Docs for Android updated w/ Office Compatibility Mode improvements, more

Avatar for Chance Miller Feb 18 2015 - 1:48 pm PT
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Google today has started rolling out an update to the Google Docs app on Android with a few new enhancements. First off, the update adds support for selecting, cutting, copying, and pasting text, images, tables, and charts in Office Compatibility Mode. The update also adds the ability to insert links into Google documents.

From the Google Apps blog:

A new version of the Google Docs Android app is now available on Google Play. New features include:

  • Support for selecting, cutting, copying and pasting text along with images, tables, and charts in Office Compatibility Mode
  • Ability to insert links in Google documents

The update is available now via the Play Store, although it is a staged rollout and may take a little while to hit your device.


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Google launches official AdWords app for Android, but it’s Canada-only for now

Avatar for Stephen Hall Feb 18 2015 - 1:41 pm PT
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Google has today launched an official app for its AdWords platform, but sadly the company is restricting access to Canada for the time being. This news comes after Google launched its AdWords Express app last year, which was made specifically for the company’s automated AdWords service for small businesses.


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