When Google bought out a small programming company that made applications for phones, it was commencing a grand plan: to set up the Open Handset Alliance and to power smartphones with the Android operating system. After Google acquired Android Inc., everything was set in motion for the search engine giant to develop its own open source OS based on Linux. On October 21st 2008, Google unleashed Android 1.0 to the public.

Open Source and Google Power:
The HTC Dream (T-Mobile G1) was the first smartphone to use Android. Unfortunately, the operating system’s debut version was somewhat buggy and was missing basic applications. Like most open source platforms, though, developers were able to improve and add to the code quickly, and 1.1 arrived promptly on March 9th 2009 with welcomed fixes. Herein is the brilliance of an open source OS coupled with Google’s vast resources: between January 2nd to April 14th of 2008, the company issued an “Android Developer Challenge,” whereby a total prize pool of $10 million USD was dispersed among winners of the competition. The promotion generated plenteous media attention and more importantly, inventive applications for the fledgling Android OS.

Android 1.5 Cupcake:
With multitudes of useful applications in its arsenal and some time for the OS to mature, Google released its first significant update to Android: on April 30th 2009, 1.5 “Cupcake” was offered to Android smartphones. The improvements added to 1.5 are too numerous to list, but here are a few highlights:
- System wide UI overhaul
- Speed boosts for camera operations, GPS location acquisition, web browsing, and Gmail scrolling
- On-screen keyboard, Widgets, Camera & Gallery, Bluetooth, Youtube and Picasa uploading
- New Linux kernel (version 2.6.27)
- API revamp

1.6 Donut:
Downloadable on September 15th 2009, Donut offered key search upgrades and a new UI for the Android Market:

2.0 and 2.1 Eclair:
Following on the heels of 1.6, Eclair versions 2.0 and 2.1 went live on October 26th 2009. After only twelve months, Android has progressed from a somewhat simple and spartan OS to a splendidly polished and powerful rival to Windows Mobile, Blackberry, and iPhone OS 3.0. At CES 2010, Google announced the immediate availability of its very own smartphone made by HTC, the Nexus One.

2.1 and Beyond:
Smartphones have become an integral part of the daily lives of businesspeople and folks who need all of their important data accessible in the palms of their hands. Gone are the days when handheld devices served only one or two rudimentary functions. Smartphones now integrate telecommunications, internet connectivity, social networking, multimedia, GPS, and a mini-computer all into one machine that snugly slides into one’s pocket or purse. Most executives and high-tech professionals depend on their smartphones for facilitating their jobs and scheduling their private activities. As prices drop, the average person will likely adopt this technology and join the revolution as well.

The enormous advantages of open source are evident. Google has put its Android into the hands of a developer community teeming with talent and ingenuity. Backed by Google’s enormous wealth and abundant second party support, Android is open to limitless ideas and potential. The operating system is poised to conquer the mobile world, as Google planned all along.

Sources: Android Developers, WikiPedia