Hands down, android is one of the most famous software to date. And its applications are beyond smartphones. So, have you ever wondered what is android? What does it have to do with your phone?
Basically, it is a platform that connects hardware and software tools to work on smart devices. Some software is closed-source. But android is an open source which makes it different from other platforms. But what does it mean? Let’s know in detail!
What Is Android?
In simple terms, android is a specific operating software (OS) that mainly runs on smartphones. Everything you can do on your phone through the apps and features is due to the developed Android. It is an open-source Linux-based OS.
As it is open source, it means that everyone can work with Android to use it for any work or purpose. And they do not need to pay the copyright owners.
If you want to source the Android code and launch it on other devices, feel free to go on. Because Android will not sue you for that as they are an open-source platform. This is the reason why Android is by far the most popular OS across the globe!
Android combines the hardware and software resources on a phone or tablet. So, basically, Android is a platform that unites all software so that you can run different applications.
Or you can think of it as an Orchestra conductor who directs different singers and artists to perform their best. Without the conductor, every singer will seem disassociated. Likewise, without the Android OS, nothing can work on your mobile and smart gadgets that depend on Android.
What Are the Basic Features of Android?
Android provides an easy-to-use user interface (UI) across all devices. To perform tasks within the UI, you need to tap, swipe, or pinch. According to these inputs, Android sends data to the applications to function as per your needs.
Even if you do not send any input, they run in the background. And it is the core feature of the Android OS.
A device that runs on Android is featured to send notifications and feedback to the users. It allows the users to keep track of their input and Android responses.
Once you reboot a phone, Android takes you to the home screen with apps and widgets. Most of the apps come pre-installed on Android. And these apps can differ based on the manufacturer of the device.
Android features a status bar at the top of the home screen. The bar shows the status and connectivity condition of the device. Here are the new features to look forward to:
Who Maintains Android?
For the maintenance part, it is pretty tricky to give a straight answer. Because the Google team handles the basics of the Android OS. Moreover, they add and remove features as per their policy.
Also, a device manufacturer skin the OS. This means manufacturers like Samsung, Xiaomi, and OnePlus, companies modify their software through Android.
Therefore, you will never see two same user interfaces on different devices. Their developers’ team skin Android so that manufacturers can include their unique features and programs on Android platforms.
The updates for Android OS are launched from Google. Once they release the updates, the manufacturers tweak the updates. Later, in some devices, the carriers tweak the updates to ensure the new update will work well. Finally, a user gets the software update notification.
Even though Google takes care of most of the Android maintenance, manufacturers also get along the chain of events.
Conclusion
To answer what is android in a nutshell, it is a system that helps users to use various features. It might seem that everything you do on your phone is solely possible for the manufacturers.
But no! Android provides the surface to them so that they can showcase their programs and features. I’d recommend visiting the Android official site to get the more necessary information.