Android
In 2003, Andy Rubin founded Android Inc. in Palo Alto with the ambition of creating an operating system for mobile devices. The name suited him well: at Apple and later at MSN, his colleagues had nicknamed him “Android” because of his passion for robotics. A few years earlier, he had already founded Danger Inc., the company that gave birth to the Danger Hiptop, the phone that T-Mobile commercialized as the Sidekick in 2002.
Initially, the Android Inc. team focused on digital cameras. But that market collapsed while mobile phones were taking off. Rubin and his cofounders Rich Miner, Nick Sears, and Chris White decided to pivot toward a mobile operating system built on the Linux kernel. Money was desperately scarce. Steve Perlman, a friend and investor, even had to bring 10,000 dollars in cash to prevent bankruptcy.
Google acquired Android Inc. in 2005 for 50 million dollars. Larry Page and Sergey Brin were thinking ahead: they wanted to extend their empire beyond computer search. On July 11, 2005, the entire Android team joined the Mountain View offices.
At that time, the mobile landscape belonged to others. Nokia’s Symbian dominated everything with 63.5% of the global market in 2007. Microsoft’s Windows Mobile captured 12%, RIM’s BlackBerry carved out 9.6%. And Apple arrived in January 2007 with the iPhone, redefining what a smartphone was. Facing these giants, Google chose a different path: offering an open and free system.
The Open Handset Alliance was born in 2007. This consortium brought together 34 companies, from phone manufacturers to operators to various technology companies. Their mission was to develop open standards for mobile devices. Android was this alliance’s reference system, distributed as open source under the Apache license.
The first public version was released in 2008. The architecture relied on the Linux kernel, which managed the hardware. Above it ran Dalvik, a virtual machine specially designed by Google to optimize execution on mobile devices. Each application ran in its own instance of this virtual machine, so multiple programs could execute simultaneously.
Versions followed one another, named after desserts. Cupcake (1.5) arrived in 2009 with widgets and GPS navigation. Donut (1.6) improved search and accepted different screen resolutions. Eclair (2.0-2.1) managed different email accounts and refined the interface.
Froyo (2.2) in 2010 accelerated performance and strengthened security. Gingerbread (2.3) integrated NFC and better conserved battery. Honeycomb (3.0) in 2011 adapted Android for tablets. Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0) unified the experience between smartphones and tablets, with innovations like facial unlocking.
Jelly Bean (4.1-4.3) in 2012 made the interface smoother thanks to “Project Butter”. KitKat (4.4) streamlined the system so it could run on modest machines. Lollipop (5.0) in 2014 introduced “Material Design”, Google’s new aesthetic. Marshmallow (6.0) rethought application permissions and extended battery life.
The business model contrasted sharply with competitors. Google offered the system to manufacturers, making money through advertising and services like the Play Store. Apple kept its ecosystem closed, Microsoft charged licensing fees: Android took a third route.
Adoption exploded. In 2010, more than 100 million devices ran Android. In 2021, there were 3 billion worldwide. This dominance attracted the attention of competition authorities. The European Commission imposed a 4.34 billion euro fine on Google in 2018 for abuse of dominant position.
The system quickly exceeded its initial scope. It equipped tablets, smartwatches, televisions, cars. Android Wear handled connected objects, Android Auto handled automobiles, making this system a universal platform for mobile computing.
The technical architecture evolved with needs. ART progressively replaced Dalvik to improve performance and energy efficiency. The system integrated facial recognition, contactless payment, augmented reality. Security was continuously strengthened: data encryption, application isolation in sandboxes, monthly updates. The more transparent permission model gave users greater control.
Android transformed the mobile industry. The system democratized access to smartphones by allowing manufacturers to offer devices at all price points. It stimulated innovation through a platform open to developers. Its open-source model inspired other projects and influenced the evolution of mobile systems.
This success rests on a balance: the power of the Linux kernel, the efficiency of a virtual machine designed for mobile, an intuitive interface. Android satisfied manufacturers, developers, and users while adapting to technological changes and new use cases.