Android version history Wikipedia. Global Android version distribution since December 2. June 2. 01. 7. Global Android version distribution as of August 2. As of November, Android Marshmallow is the most widely used version of Android, running on 3. Android devices accessing Google Play, while Android Lollipop runs on 2. The version history of the Androidmobile operating system began with the public release of the Android beta in November 5, 2. The first commercial version, Android 1. September 2. 00. 8. Android is continually developed by Google and the Open Handset Alliance, and it has seen a number of updates to its base operating system since the initial release. Versions 1. 0 and 1. Android code names are confectionery themed and have been in alphabetical order since 2. Android 1. 5 Cupcake, with the most recent major version being Android 8. Oreo, released in December 2. Code name. Version number. Initial release date. API level. Security patches1No codename2Old version, no longer supported 1. MX Linux is a cooperative venture between the antiX and former MEPIS communities, using the best tools and talents from each distro and including work and ideas. Top VIdeos. Warning Invalid argument supplied for foreach in srvusersserverpilotappsjujaitalypublicindex. SoundToys%20Native%20Effects%20VST%20RTAS%20v4.1.6-SND.jpg' alt='Native Instruments Battery 4.1.1' title='Native Instruments Battery 4.1.1' />September 2. UnsupportedInternally known as Petit Four2Old version, no longer supported 1. February 9, 2. 00. Unsupported. Cupcake. Old version, no longer supported 1. April 2. 7, 2. 00. Unsupported. Donut3Old version, no longer supported 1. September 1. 5, 2. Unsupported. Eclair4Old version, no longer supported 2. October 2. 6, 2. 00. Unsupported. Froyo5Old version, no longer supported 2. May 2. 0, 2. 01. 08. Unsupported. Gingerbread6Old version, no longer supported 2. December 6, 2. 01. Unsupported. Honeycomb7Old version, no longer supported 3. February 2. 2, 2. Unsupported. Ice Cream Sandwich8Old version, no longer supported 4. October 1. 8, 2. 01. Unsupported. Jelly Bean9Old version, no longer supported 4. July 9, 2. 01. 21. Unsupported. Kit. Kat1. 0Older version, yet still supported 4. October 3. 1, 2. 01. Supported 1. 1See clarification. Lollipop1. 2Older version, yet still supported 5. November 1. 2, 2. Supported. Marshmallow1. Older version, yet still supported 6. October 5, 2. 01. Supported. Nougat1. Older version, yet still supported 7. August 2. 2, 2. 01. Supported. Oreo1. Current stable version 8. August 2. 1, 2. 01. Supported. Legend Old version. Older version, still supported. Latest version. Latest preview version. Future release. Note To clarify, support for e. Android 4. 4. 4 Kit. Kat Googles support cut off, means at least security patches in 2. October 2. 01. 7. The updates may or may not reach actual users devices that depends on vendors. Google and others may support their own users devices with a major upgrade only, instead of a security update to those older versions, but its possible to do. A version of Android Kit. Kat exclusive to Android Wear devices was released on June 2. API level of 2. 0. Pre commercial release versions. The development of Android started in 2. Android, Inc., which was purchased by Google in 2. Alpha. There were at least two internal releases of the software inside Google and the OHA before the beta version was released. The code names Astro Boy and Bender were used internally for some pre 1. Dan Morrill created some of the first mascot logos, but the current Android logo was designed by Irina Blok. The project manager, Ryan Gibson, conceived the confectionery themed naming scheme that has been used for the majority of the public releases, starting with Android 1. Cupcake. Beta. The beta was released on November 5, 2. SDK was released on November 1. The November 5 date is popularly celebrated as Androids birthday. Public beta versions of the SDK were released in the following order 2. November 1. 2, 2. November 1. 6, 2. December 1. 4, 2. February 1. 3, 2. March 3, 2. 00. 8 m. August 1. 8, 2. 00. Beta3. 13. 2September 2. Version history by API level. The following tables show the release dates and key features of all Android operating system updates to date, listed chronologically by their official application programming interface API levels. Android 1. 0 API 1Android 1. API 1Android 1. 0, the first commercial version of the software, was released on September 2. The first commercially available Android device was the HTC Dream. Android 1. 0 incorporated the following features Version. Release date. Features. September 2. 3, 2. Android Market allowed application downloads and updates through the Market application. Web browser to show, zoom and pan full HTML and XHTML web pages multiple pages show as windows cards3. Camera support however, this version lacked the option to change the cameras resolution, white balance, quality, etc. Folders allowing the grouping of a number of application icons into a single folder icon on the Home screen4. Access to web email servers, supporting POP3, IMAP4, and SMTP3. Gmail synchronization with the Gmail application. Google Contacts synchronization with the People application. Google Calendar synchronization with the Calendar application. Advantage Database Server 10 Serial Number. Google Maps with Street View to view maps and satellite imagery, as well as find local business and obtain driving directions using GPS3. Google Sync, allowing management of over the air synchronization of Gmail, People, and Calendar. Google Search, allowing users to search the Internet and phone applications, contacts, calendar, etc. Google Talk instant messaging. Instant messaging, text messaging, and MMSMedia Player, enabling management, importing, and playback of media files however, this version lacked video and stereo Bluetooth support3. Notifications appear in the Status bar, with options to set ringtone, LED or vibration alerts3. Voice Dialer allows dialing and placing of phone calls without typing a name or number3. Wallpaper allows the user to set the background image or photo behind the Home screen icons and widgets. You. Tube video player4. Other applications include Alarm Clock, Calculator, Dialer Phone, Home screen Launcher, Pictures Gallery, and Settings. Wi Fi and Bluetooth support. Android 1. 1 API 2Android 1. API 2On February 9, 2. Android 1. 1 update was released, initially for the HTC Dream only. Android 1. 1 was known as Petit Four internally, though this name was not used officially. The update resolved bugs, changed the Android API and added a number of features 4. Version. Release date. Features. 1. 1. February 9, 2. Details and reviews available when a user searches for businesses on Maps. Longer in call screen timeout default when using the speakerphone, plus ability to showhide dialpad. Ability to save attachments in messages. Support added for marquee in system layouts. On April 2. 7, 2. Android 1. 5 update was released, based on Linux kernel 2. This was the first release to officially use a codename based on a dessert item Cupcake, a theme which would be used for all releases henceforth. The update included several new features and UI amendments 4. Version. Release date. Features. Images1. April 2. 7, 2. 00. Support for third party virtual keyboards with text prediction and user dictionary for custom words. Support for Widgets miniature application views that can be embedded in other applications such as the Home screen and receive periodic updates4. Video recording and playback in MPEG 4 and 3. GP formats. Auto pairing and stereo support for Bluetooth A2. DP and AVRCP profilesCopy and paste features in web browser. User pictures shown for Favorites in Contacts. Specific datetime stamp shown for events in call log, and one touch access to a contact card from call log event. Android operating system Wikipedia. Android. Android 8. Oreo home screen. Developer. Written in. Java UI, C core, C1OS family. Unix like. Working state. Current. Source model. Open source and in most devices with proprietary components. Initial release. September 2. Latest release. 8. Oreo December 5, 2. Marketing target. Smartphones, tablet computers, Android TV, Android Auto and Android Wear. Available in. 10. Package manager. APK primarily through Google Play installation of APKs also possible locally or from alternative sources such as F DroidPlatforms. ARM, x. 86, x. 86 6. MIPS and MIPS6. 4Kernel type. Monolithic modified Linux kernelUserland. Bionic libc,4mksh shell,5Toybox as core utilities beginning with Android 6. Net. BSD89Default user interface. Graphical multi touchLicense. Apache License 2. GNU GPL v. 2 for the Linux kernel modifications1. Official websiteandroid. Android is a mobile operating system developed by Google, based on the Linux kernel and designed primarily for touchscreen mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. Androids user interface is mainly based on direct manipulation, using touch gestures that loosely correspond to real world actions, such as swiping, tapping and pinching, to manipulate on screen objects, along with a virtual keyboard for text input. In addition to touchscreen devices, Google has further developed Android TV for televisions, Android Auto for cars, and Android Wear for wrist watches, each with a specialized user interface. Variants of Android are also used on game consoles, digital cameras, PCs and other electronics. Initially developed by Android Inc., which Google bought in 2. Android was unveiled in 2. Open Handset Alliance  a consortium of hardware, software, and telecommunication companies devoted to advancing open standards for mobile devices. Beginning with the first commercial Android device in September 2. Oreo, released in August 2. Android applications apps can be downloaded from the Google Play store, which features over 2. February 2. 01. 7. Android has been the best selling OS on tablets since 2. As of May 2. 01. 7update, Android has two billion monthly active users, and it has the largest installed base of any operating system. Androids source code is released by Google under an open source license, although most Android devices ultimately ship with a combination of free and open source and proprietary software, including proprietary software required for accessing Google services. Android is popular with technology companies that require a ready made, low cost and customizable operating system for high tech devices. Its open nature has encouraged a large community of developers and enthusiasts to use the open source code as a foundation for community driven projects, which deliver updates to older devices, add new features for advanced users or bring Android to devices originally shipped with other operating systems. The extensive variation of hardware in Android devices causes significant delays for software upgrades, with new versions of the operating system and security patches typically taking months before reaching consumers, or sometimes not at all. The success of Android has made it a target for patent and copyright litigation between technology companies. History. Former Android logo wordmark 2. The Sooner prototype phone,1. Android. Android Inc. Palo Alto, California in October 2. Andy Rubin, Rich Miner, Nick Sears, and Chris White. Rubin described the Android project as tremendous potential in developing smarter mobile devices that are more aware of its owners location and preferences. The early intentions of the company were to develop an advanced operating system for digital cameras, and this was the basis of its pitch to investors in April 2. The company then decided that the market for cameras was not large enough for its goals, and by five months later it had diverted its efforts and was pitching Android as a handset operating system that would rival Symbian and Microsoft Windows Mobile. Rubin had difficulty attracting investors early on, and Android was facing eviction from its office space. Steve Perlman, a close friend of Rubin, brought him 1. Perlman refused a stake in the company, and has stated I did it because I believed in the thing, and I wanted to help Andy. In July 2. 00. 5,1. Google acquired Android Inc. Its key employees, including Rubin, Miner and White, joined Google as part of the acquisition. Not much was known about the secretive Android at the time, with the company having provided few details other than that it was making software for mobile phones. At Google, the team led by Rubin developed a mobile device platform powered by the Linux kernel. Google marketed the platform to handset makers and carriers on the promise of providing a flexible, upgradeable system. Google had lined up a series of hardware components and software partners and signaled to carriers that it was open to various degrees of cooperation. Speculation about Googles intention to enter the mobile communications market continued to build through December 2. An early prototype had a close resemblance to a Black. Berry phone, with no touchscreen and a physical QWERTYkeyboard, but the arrival of 2. Applei. Phone meant that Android had to go back to the drawing board. Google later changed its Android specification documents to state that Touchscreens will be supported, although the Product was designed with the presence of discrete physical buttons as an assumption, therefore a touchscreen cannot completely replace physical buttons. In September 2. 00. Information. Week covered an Evalueserve study reporting that Google had filed several patent applications in the area of mobile telephony. On November 5, 2. Open Handset Alliance, a consortium of technology companies including Google, device manufacturers such as HTC, Motorola and Samsung, wireless carriers such as Sprint and T Mobile, and chipset makers such as Qualcomm and Texas Instruments, unveiled itself, with a goal to develop the first truly open and comprehensive platform for mobile devices. The first commercially available smartphone running Android was the HTC Dream, also known as T Mobile G1, announced on September 2. Since 2. 00. 8, Android has seen numerous updates which have incrementally improved the operating system, adding new features and fixing bugs in previous releases. Each major release is named in alphabetical order after a dessert or sugary treat, with the first few Android versions being called Cupcake, Donut, Eclair, and Froyo, respectively. During its announcement of Android Kit. Kat in 2. 01. 3, Google explained that Since these devices make our lives so sweet, each Android version is named after a dessert, although a Google spokesperson told CNN in an interview that Its kind of like an internal team thing, and we prefer to be a little bit how should I say a bit inscrutable in the matter, Ill say. In 2. 01. 0, Google launched its Nexus series of devices, a lineup in which Google partnered with different device manufacturers to produce new devices and introduce new Android versions. The series was described as having played a pivotal role in Androids history by introducing new software iterations and hardware standards across the board, and became known for its bloat free software with timely. At its developer conference in May 2.