There are two main mobile operating systems in the market today. The first is Apple’s iOS, which has become very popular and is found on every single Apple device. The second is Android, which is used on Google phones and has become extremely popular in the past few years.
Initially, Android was created by Android Inc., which Google backed financially when it was first being developed, and then which they bought in 2005. In 2007, Android was officially unveiled and the HTC Dream became the first phone to have the Android operating system on it, debuting on Oct. 22, 2008.
What is it?
The Google Android system uses direct manipulation, with touch inputs that correspond with real-world actions. These include swiping, tapping and pinching on the screen. Within the hardware of the system, there are accelerometers, proximity sensors and gyroscopes for various apps in the Play Store that use those items.
On the home screen, Android users can customize their home screens with shortcuts to applications and widgets. This allows the user to display live content, including e-mails and weather information, on the home screen itself. Applications can also send notifications to the user.
While it is found mostly on tablets and phones, it has also been integrated on game consoles, digital cameras, various electronics and televisions.
Is it popular?
Android operating systems are sold more than the Windows, iOS and Mac OS devices combined. In the third quarter of 2013, the share of the market of smartphones that Android controlled was 81.3 per cent. This is the highest ever for the operating system. That same year, there were over one million apps in the Google Play store, and there were 50 billion apps downloaded. For mobile developers, 71 per cent stated in a survey in 2013 that they use the Android Operating system.
In total, one billion Android devices have been activated.
What makes it better?
Why has Android taken over so much of the market? What makes it more popular than every single mobile OS combined on the market? Why do the vast majority of users use Android? There are several reasons:
2. While the iOS keyboard is good, you get many more keyboard options with Android. There are several different types of keyboards that you can use, so they match any sort of typing style.
3. Android is highly customizable and you can customize it any way you like. You can even download any form of iOS 7 theme that you want, so you get the exact look that you want. So no more hair loss issues because of unavailable features.
4. When you put your Android system into a computer, as in plugging it in through a USB drive, you see a file system just like the one that you see with your computer. This is not found with an iOS system, which doesn’t allow you to do that.
5. iOS does have good notifications, but Android is much better in terms of how it notifies you of things. You can see everything you need in the notification drawer and you can take action and determine what you want to do with that application ahead of time.
6. Your contact list allows you to import photos of your contacts so that you can have your photos set the way you want them. Again, you have full customizability.
7. One great feature is that you can have multiple users on one Android tablet. You can share your tablet with others in your office or your home. You cannot do that with an iPad.
8. With Google Now, you get a much better version of Siri. Siri only searches on Bing, while Google Now of course searches on Google.
9. For Google’s Android system, it doesn’t matter where your music came from. You can play the music you want, no matter what.
10. There are more free applications available through Google’s Play Store, many more than compared to what you find with iOS and the App Store.
11. You can unlock your phone any number of ways including through slide, a face unlock, pattern, PIN or password.
With so many great features with Google Android, you are getting a greater bang for your buck when you compare it with any other operating system.
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