Android is an operating system developed by Google based on the Linux Kernel – mainly used it mobile phones, tablet computers and netbooks. Initially Android Inc developed this mobile OS and later Google purchased it. Now Open Handset Alliance – a business alliance of 65 companies including Google, Intel, Dell, Motorola, Samsung, LG, T Mobile, HTC is now handing development works in Android platform.
Currently more than 1 lakh Android based smartphones sold per day worldwide and 50,000 Android based apps available. Blackberry OS is the leading OS in mobile platform developed by Blackberry and Android comes in the second position followed by Apple’s iOS.
At present most of the Android based devices works on Android 2.1. Latest (7th) version of Android was released in March 2010 code named “FroYo” based on Linux Kernel 2.6.32.
Some important enhancement in Android 2.2 are
- Improved Speed with Dalvik JIT compiler (expected 2 to 5 times faster than 2.1)
- Install apps on SM memory card
- Faster Browsing experience with V8 javascript engine
- Improved security and numeric or alpha numeric password option
- Adobe Flash 10.1 and AIR support
- Apps Auto updating after download
- Synchronize music collections
- General Android OS speed, memory, and performance optimizations
- USB tethering and WiFi hotspot functionality
- Quick switching between multiple keyboard languages and their dictionaries
- Increased Microsoft Exchange support
Currently Android based smartphone and tablet manufacturers are either upgrading their devices to support Android 2.2 or releasing new devices based on it.
Another major version of Android (3.0) code named Gingerbread is expected by end of this year.