History and Development of Android
History and Development of Android: From Digital Cameras to Domination
Smartphone Market
Android is an operating system that is widely recognized as one of the main drivers of the revolution
smart phones in the world. However, not many people know about Android at first
not targeted for smartphone devices. The history of Android starts with the target market
something very different—a digital camera. In this article, we will explore travel
Android from its inception to becoming the dominant operating system in the smartphone market
global.
Beginning of Android Development
At the beginning of its development, Android was designed for use on camera devices
digital. This idea emerged from the three main founders of Android, namely Andy Rubin, Chris White, and Nick
Sears. However, after considering the market potential, they realized that the target
digital cameras were too small and did not have big growth prospects. Therefore,
the focus of Android development shifted to an operating system for smartphones
(smartphone), which at that time began to develop rapidly.
Initial Steps in the Smartphone Market
In 2004, Android began to enter the smartphone market, which at that time was dominated by
Symbian and Windows Mobile operating systems. In this early stage, Andy Rubin and his team
experiencing difficulty in finding investors who want to fund Android development.
They even faced the threat of running out of funds until they finally got it
a $10,000 capital injection from Steve Perlman, an investor who believed in the vision
Android.
The big move came in July 2005, when Google decided to acquire
Android Inc. with a value of $50 million. After this acquisition, the Android founders joined forces
with Google and continued development of this operating system under the auspices of the company
giant technology.
Android Prototypes and Market Challenges
After joining Google, Android began development of a smartphone prototype
which had a physical keyboard, similar to the Blackberry devices that were popular at the time. However,
In 2007, the technology world was shocked by the launch of the iPhone by Apple, which
brings an innovative design with a full touch screen, without a physical keyboard.
The launch of the iPhone changed the direction of smartphone development as a whole. Google too
had to adjust their strategy to be able to compete with the iPhone. In 2008,
Several competitors such as Nokia and Blackberry have also started releasing cellphones with touch screens.
Not to be outdone, Google launched the HTC Dream or T-Mobile G1 as an Android phone
First. The phone is equipped with a touchscreen, but still retains the physical keyboard
as one of the options for users.
Android Success Time
Since its launch, Android has continued to increase in popularity. According to data from Kleiner
Perkins, 2010 was a turning point where Android was successful for the first time
shifting the market share previously controlled by Apple and its iPhone. This happened thanks to
several main factors, one of which is the flexibility and openness of the Android operating system
which is based on Open Source.
As an Open Source operating system, Android allows many cellphone manufacturers to
adopt and adapt it to their respective devices. This is what
making Android available on various types of smartphones at different price ranges-
different, from the most affordable to the most premium. This diversity is what
making Android more accessible to various levels of society, compared to
iPhones are generally only available in premium models at higher prices.
Android Advantages in the Global Market
Android's main advantages over other operating systems are its flexibility and
its open ecosystem. Smartphone manufacturers from various brands such as Samsung, Xiaomi,
Oppo, and others can develop compatible Android-based devices
market needs. With the availability of more diverse devices and varying prices,
Android has succeeded in reaching more and more users around the world.
Apart from that, Android also gets strong support from application developers who can
easily create and distribute their apps through the Google Play Store. Matter
this enriches the app ecosystem and provides more choices for users
Android.
Conclusion
The history of Android shows the incredible transformation of an initially small project
designed for digital cameras, it became a giant in the global smartphone industry. Support from
Google, flexibility as an Open Source operating system, as well as excellence in providing
a wide choice of devices at more affordable prices, has made Android
as the smartphone market leader. With continued innovation and a great community
strong, Android looks like it will continue to maintain its dominance in the world smartphone market
for a long time.
