Android Phone
By now most of you have heard of the Android Phone. The Android
operating system was first developed by Android, Inc. which was
bought by Google in 2005. In 2008, Google decided to make the
Android operating system open source to aid in the spread of the
OS and the development of applications for the mobile phone market.
The Android Phone then is made up of both the Android OS and
the mobile phone that hosts the operating system and its applications.
In 2007, the Open Handset Alliance was created which at that time
was a consortium of 47 companies including Google, Motorola, Samsung,
T-Mobile, LG, HTC, Texas Instruments, Intel and others. Now that
number is up to 50 companies in the consortium.
So the Android Phone is made up of the work from mobile operators,
software companies, commercialization companies, semiconductor
companies and handset manufacturers. And you thought the Android
Phone was just a simple cell phone, now didn't you?
In the U. S. market, the largest Android Phone handset providers
include HTC, LG, Motorola, Samsung and Sony Ericsson. The two
most dominant telecom carriers (mobile operators) in the U. S.
are T-mobile and Sprint, which usually come coupled with the Android
mobile phone.
Since the Android Phone is based upon an open source software
Linux platform, this means that it is free to use (attractive
for handset providers), is a common platform that has been used
for years in other industries so the learning curve is less than
it would be for a new OS and applications can be developed through
the open source SDK that are easy to use and powerful.
Since Google is the owner of Android, Inc. this means its applications
usually come bundled on each phone. For instance, an Android Phone
along with other applications will most likely come with Gmail,
Google Maps, Search and Google Calendar to name a few.
By the end of 2009 it is estimated that there will be 18 to 25
Android Phones in the marketplace. So, the Android Phone is no
longer a rumor or a pipedream as many thought it was a couple
of years ago. The Android Phone is here now. What out your girly
iPhone, because the macho Android Phone is based upon power, functionality
and speed and not so much on style.
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