Android receives its first major update, 15 years ago
When it comes to most mobile devices, tablets or even smart TVs, the operating system market has been largely monopolized by two technology giants: Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS.
These began as a mobile operating system but, like most recent technological advances, quickly expanded to serve many other platforms.
It’s only been 15 years since the first major update to the Android operating system, Cupcake, was released on April 27, 2009. Since its most basic version of Android 1.0 the previous year, which only supported text messages, calls and emails , Cupcake arrived. with additional features including a virtual on-screen keyboard and framework for third-party app widgets.
Now, Android holds the title of the most popular operating system worldwide with more than 70% market share.
Several dessert options later (remember Cupcake, Donut, Eclair, Froyo, Gingerbread, Honeycomb, Ice Cream Sandwich, Jelly Bean, KitKat, Lollipop, Marshmallow, Nougat, Oreo and Pie before Android 10), we are currently on iteration 14.
But did you know that before its use and popularity skyrocketed, the Android operating system was initially intended to serve stand-alone digital cameras? This was a few years after the first camera phone was created in 1999 (and we all know how advanced phone cameras have become) and before Google bought Android, changing the trajectory of the company and the industry.
What makes it so popular among smartphone companies is that Google is committed to keeping Android as an open source operating system. This allows third-party companies to modify it however they wish, creating their respective user interfaces to match their flagship phones, hence the plethora of options out there.
Whatever purpose you have for a smartphone, it seems Android can already fulfill it. And given the growing demand from both the industry and the public, who knows what Android will have in store for us over the next 25 years?
