Android is a Linux-based operating system which makes it an open source software. Google distributed its license under the Apache License Agreement. The availability of Android code makes it an easily-modifiable operating system, which can be customized by the vendor as well. Due to a highly flexible design, some critics call it unsecure, which was right at a certain period of time, but now, Android is a mature operating system with a high-level secure architecture. It is said that the newest version of Android (that is, Jelly Bean) is the most secure operating system that Google has ever produced. Let's move forward with an overview of the different versions of the Android OS.
Since the beginning, Android has been transforming itself with the release of different versions. Not just UI but many features were added, modified, and enhanced in each upcoming version. The first version to officially use the name of a dessert was Android Cupcake 1.5, which was based on Linux 2.6.27. Every new Android version comes with a new set of API levels, which basically revises the previous API with some modification, obsoleteness, and addition of new controls.
Releasing new versions of Android brings some obsoleteness in the previous methods/functions from a developer's point of view. However, this will bring warnings but not errors; you can still use previous method calls in new API Levels as well.
The following table shows the different Android versions with their API Levels and major highlights:
|
Android version |
Version name |
Main features |
API level |
Release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Jelly Bean |
Voice-to-search Lock screen widgets Speed enhancements Gesture typing in keyboard Secure USB debugging (for developers only) OpenGLES 3.0 support Improved camera user interface Right-to-left languages support |
16, 17, and 18 |
July 9, 2012, November 13, 2012, and July 24, 2013 | |
|
Ice Cream Sandwich |
Enhanced lock screen actions Screen orientation animation Email app with EAS v14 Facial unlock Enhanced web browser Support of tablet and cell phones |
14 and 15 |
October 19, 2011 | |
|
First OS for tablets Addition of system bar and action bar Quick access to camera and its features Two pane email UI view Multi-core support |
11, 12, and 13 |
February 22, 2011 | ||
|
Enhanced UI Native VoIP/SIP support Google Talk and Google Wallet Video call support |
9 and 10 |
December 6, 2010 | ||
|
Speed improvements USB tethering JIT implementation |
8 |
May 20, 2010 | ||
|
Updated UI Live wallpaper Bluetooth 2.1 |
5, 6, and 7 |
January 12, 2010 | ||
|
Gesture recognition |
4 |
September 15, 2009 | ||
|
Text prediction in keyboard Record and watch videos |
3 |
April 30, 2009 |
Note
It is an interesting fact that the versions of Android are in alphabetical order. Starting off from Apple Pie 1.0 and then Banana Bread 1.1, it made its way towards Jelly Bean with a complete coherence of alphabetical sequence, and by maintaining the legacy; the next version expected will be Key Lime Pie.
As it is mentioned earlier that Android is open for modifications by the vendor due to its open-sourced nature, many famous mobile manufacturers put their own customized versions of Android in their phones. For example, Samsung made a custom touch interface over Android and calls it TouchWiz (Samsung Galaxy S4 comes with TouchWiz Nature UX 2.0). Similarly, HTC and Sony Xperia came up with their own custom user interface and called it HTC Sense and TimeScape respectively.
Just like any other famous mobile operating systems, Android has its app store known as Google Play. Previously, the app store was called Android Market, which, at the start of the year 2012, became Google Play with a new-and-improved user experience. The update unified the whole entertainment world under the umbrella of Google Play. Music, apps, books, and movies, all became easily accessible to the users just like Apple's famous App Store (iTunes). You can find detailed information about the Android store at http://play.google.com/about/.
Note
Google Movies & TV, Google Music, Google Books, and Google Magazines are only available in limited countries.
Google Play provides a wide range of applications, movies, e-books, and music. Recently, they also introduced the Google Play TV facility under the same app store. Talking about the application side, Google Play provides different categories in which a user can select applications. It ranges from games to comics and social apps. Users can enjoy many paid applications and can unlock many features by in-app billing services provided by Google Play.
There are different vendor specific app stores as well, such as Kindle's Amazon App Store, Nook Store, and many others that provide many applications under their own terms and conditions.