Android
Also known as: Android OS, Google Android, Android operating system
Android is an operating system for smartphones, tablets, TVs, watches, and cars, developed by Google and based on the Linux kernel.
Manufacturers such as Samsung, Google, Motorola, and OnePlus build their phones on it, often adding their own designs and apps. Android gives users lots of choice in devices and prices, and the Google Play Store offers millions of apps. While its openness is a strength, update timelines vary by manufacturer, so some phones stop getting security fixes far sooner than others.
Android, explained at three levels
At home
Android is like a basic house design that many builders use. Samsung, Google, and others build their own versions, each with different paint and furniture.
At work
Android devices come in many price ranges, which makes them flexible choices for business phones and rugged field devices.
At home
Check how many years of updates a phone gets before buying. Some cheap Android phones get only two or three years, while flagships can get seven.
At work
Android Enterprise supports work profiles that separate business and personal apps on the same phone, managed through MDM tools such as Intune.
At home
Installing apps from outside the Play Store can expose you to malware. In my opinion, only do it from trusted sources, and never because a text message told you to.
At work
Standardize on models with long update commitments, use work profiles for bring-your-own-device programs, block sideloading on managed devices, and use Google Play Protect alongside mobile threat defence.
Real-world examples
At home
Lena chose a mid-range Android phone with five years of promised updates, rather than a cheaper model that would stop getting updates sooner.
At work
Thomas manages a fleet of rugged Android tablets for a Quebec construction company. Work profiles keep business apps managed and separate from staff's personal apps.
How it compares
| feature | Android | iOS |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | Google, used by many brands | Apple only |
| Device choice | Very wide | iPhones only |
| App installation | Play Store and other sources | Mainly the App Store |
| Update timing | Varies by maker | Same day for all supported iPhones |
Android offers choice. iOS offers consistency.
For analysts
For mobile app projects, I'd define the minimum Android version and test on several manufacturers' phones. Fragmentation causes bugs that emulators often miss.
History & origin
Android Inc. was founded in 2003 by Andy Rubin and others, and Google bought it in 2005. Google and partners formed the Open Handset Alliance in 2007, and the first Android phone, the HTC Dream or T-Mobile G1, launched in 2008. Android overtook rivals within a few years, and today it runs on more devices than any other operating system. Google's Pixel phones arrived in 2016, and Samsung and Google later promised seven years of updates for flagship phones from 2024. In 2025, Google announced that apps installed outside the Play Store would need to come from verified developers, rolling out from 2026, a change that drew criticism from some developers. In my view, Android's biggest weakness has always been inconsistent updates across brands.