In less than a decade Android has become a truly global platform, powering more than one billion devices in various forms and manifestations. Many might not be aware of Android’s history, it wasn’t always one of the biggest weapons in Google’s arsenal, actually Android has rather humble beginnings. However, things really started to take off when the original Android team joined Google ten years ago today.
Andy Rubin set up an independent company and his team got down to working on Android. At that time it wasn’t widely known but the company did catch Google’s eye.
Google then acquired the company and its operating system. Ficus Kirkpatrick reminded us through a tweet that this happened on 11th July, 2005. Kirkpatrick was part of the Android team back then and he still works at Google today.
https://twitter.com/ficus/status/619888667666944000
After the acquisition by Google the team started working on device prototype and ultimately the first Android powered handsets were launched by Google.
It did take some time for Android devices to take off. Google made major changes to the operating system year after year to ensure that it could meet users’ expectations and deliver the features and functionality they expected.
Now, Android dominates the global market and seems on track to further extend its lead. Interesting how it has managed to change the very nature of mobile computing in just under a decade.