If you own a smartphone that you bought during the previous five years, or even before that, then surely you have dealt with the Android system.
Even if you use Apple products and the famous IOS system, (which is a good system and Apple products are solid products in general, we don't want to start a fight between fans of the two systems here), your home or work environment will not be without one or two Android devices.
This is whether these devices are running the Android system itself or after it has been modified... as happens with the systems in certain products such as smart TVs or tablets, for example.
The Android system is widely spread on a large number of devices, so what is the secret of this spread? And why is this system the first choice for most manufacturers of legalization, whether in the field of mobile phones or smart devices?
In this article, we try to answer the question What is Android? In a simplified way, to explain its history and how it originated, and the features that make it rank high among the operating systems that are reliable in the technical field.
What is android?
Work began on the Android system in 2003 as an operating system for digital cameras, and in 2004 it turned into an operating system for smartphones after it was purchased by Google in 2005 when the team decided that the Android system should be based on Linux.
From its inception until now, the Android operating system has remained free and open-source, which has helped its spread and dependence greatly on mobile phone companies, reaching 80% of smartphones and 60% of tablets, in addition to its spread in a large number of smart home appliances.
Android is primarily designed to be the system for touch screen devices; Such as mobile phones and tablets.
So, the simplified definition of the Android system is an operating system for mobile devices based on a modified version of the famous Linux operating system kernel, and some open-source programs; These are programs whose developer allows any other developer or technical community to modify its coding or add new lines of code to it, as long as several pre-defined conditions are adhered to, such as not using the system for criminal purposes or exposing any individual to danger.
What does it mean: based on a modified version of the Linux kernel?
To answer this question, we must define the difference between the Linux system and its kernel,
Simply Linux is an operating system, but what is known as an operating system usually contains many elements, for example, the famous Ubuntu system contains the kernel of the Linux operating system.
But it adds other important programs to this kernel, such as the interface program, and other programs to become an independent operating system because the system kernel is what can be defined as the main programs for managing the system; Such as task management, memory management, and hard disk handling.
But the operating system contains the kernel of the system in addition to other programs such as the one we mentioned with the Ubuntu system, so technically the kernel is part of the operating system, and the operating system is the kernel in addition to other programs, and this is not limited to the Ubuntu system only, but to all other operating systems even The famous Windows system in its various versions.
The most important systems that depend on the Linux kernel in their composition, or rather the so-called distributions of the Linux system:
- Ubuntu
- Debian
- Fedora
- Mint
Can Android be considered a Linux distribution? The direct answer is no because although the distributions and the Android system depend on the Linux kernel in the way they work, Android does not have as many plugins as the GNU C library.
It is a library that provides mathematical commands and memory management through the C programming language. Instead, Android relies on Dalvik, a virtual system that runs programs written in the Java programming language, which are programs intended to run exclusively on Android.
Android system features
Other than the technical excellence that professionals in the field of technology admire, what are the advantages offered by the Android system? Or in other words, what motivates you as a normal user to choose an Android device?
Well, there are a large number of features that vary in importance according to the user himself, but we can agree on several features that we can say are of interest to any user, regardless of the degree of his knowledge of the technical field or the extent of his use of smart devices.
1. Multiple Choices
Choosing Android as an operating system gives you a large number of options, whether it is in the field of mobile phones or the field of smart devices, due to the large number of companies relying on it as the primary operating system for their devices.
Therefore, you will not have to pay a large amount to get a phone that works with this system, and this is not limited to the field of mobile phones only but extends to include smart home devices as well.
Among the most important mobile phone companies that rely on the Android system:
- Samsung
- Huawei
- Xiaomi
- Sony
- Oppo
Among the most important smart device companies that rely on the Android system:
- Sony
- Hisense
- TCL
- Philips
- Haier
2. Compatibility
The more an operating system spreads and is used on several different devices, the more it can match and connect these devices, so you can control your smart TV from your Android phone.
The multiplicity of smart home devices that depend on this system facilitates the process of managing these devices through your mobile phone or tablet easily and conveniently, creating harmony between the work of these devices and each other.
This harmony can be done with other systems such as IOS, but it will require that all devices be made by Apple, unlike Android devices, which do not require that the devices be manufactured by one company to be able to link and control them.
You can control your Hisense Smart TV with your Sony phone as long as both devices have Android installed.
3. Availability of a huge number of applications
The fact that the Android operating system is an open-source system has given developers the freedom to design and develop a huge number of applications. For example, unlike the famous Google Store application, you can install any application that ends with an app extension on any Android device.
Have you bought a new Android smart TV but it doesn't have your favorite app? No problem with a bit of searching online you will find the application you are looking for, and then you can install it as long as its source is safe, and your TV hardware can run it.
You will find thousands of applications available for Android between paid and free, in other words, for any task you want to do, you will find dozens of applications.
We recommend choosing trusted sites and sources when installing any software outside the Google Play store, as they may contain malware.
4. Huge technical support
Another advantage of open-source software is the presence of a huge community of developers and technicians who provide technical support for this system on an ongoing basis.
This support helps many times to solve the technical problems of this system, or at the very least discover problems and gaps and alert Google and manufacturers to solve these gaps as soon as possible.
The technical support from this community has created for us systems based on the Android system, but with different features (called custom ROMs), for the owners of phones with weak technical hardware to benefit from, or for which Google and manufacturers have stopped sending Android updates to them, because of their interest in newer devices or because Introduce these devices in general.
5. Powerful File Manager
One of the most important features that Android outperforms iOS is the file management system, especially on mobile phones. If you want to transfer files from an iOS device, you will need to install iTunes File Transfer Manager, which allows you to transfer only specific categories of files, such as photos, audio clips, and videos.
While Android devices allow you to deal with all the files on it with ease, just connect the phone to your desktop computer through the included charger cable, and the phone’s internal space will appear to you as an additional hard disk, and you can control all the files available on it without any Constraints.
6. Many additions and multiple options to change the look of the system
Android is a flexible system in many respects, especially in the ability to add small widgets or widgets to the home screen of your phone.
You may need to follow certain stocks on the stock exchange, the weather, the rate of currency change, or you would like to see local and international news, with a small addition. You can customize part of the main screen and add a tool that shows you any information about any field that you would like to be aware of regularly.
It is not just about add-ons, but the Android system allows you to completely change the interface of your mobile phone, change the shape of icons, add new tools, and give your phone a renewed appearance through a large number of interface changes programs or launchers.
7. The possibility of obtaining more permissions easily through the process of rooting (Root)
Despite all the advantages that the Android system offers to the user, some specialized users want more features, which can be accessed by rooting the mobile phone.
It is a simple technical process that includes removing some software barriers that the Android system places to protect and regulate, which are usually ordinary and are not intended to restrict the user's freedom.
But when you remove them, the user can control the system features more firmly. For example, you can delete certain programs that the Android system does not give you the power to remove without rooting.
This is useful sometimes; When you want to remove some programs that you do not use, which come within the pre-installed programs on the phone, and occupy some storage space or run continuously without the need for them, they consume the temporary memory of the device, which affects the speed of the phone or the ability to run applications that you need.
You can even remove basic programs in the system and replace them with other programs that are more efficient or have better features. In the end, the process of rooting gives users many powers that many of them may see as essential to them.
You can easily access the method of rooting your phone through some research on the Internet, some companies that manufacture mobile phones provide official tools that do this easily, and others provide a guide that helps you implement the process through programs manufactured by programmers who are not affiliated with these companies but trusted.
It should be noted that although rooting your mobile phone is an easy and normal process, we do not recommend doing it unless you have a strong reason, and simple technical experience in this field, because it is a process that may result in problems if you implement it incorrectly,
Also, the warranty provided by mobile phone companies does not cover any malfunctions caused by rooting them.
Conclusion
In this article, we tried to explain what Android is as an operating system loved by users and technical pioneers alike.
Explaining any operating system such as Android always requires going into special technical details, because its features and the way it works are the reason for its success and superiority and its occupation of a huge number of devices.
Rather, Android is one of the main reasons that led Microsoft to withdraw from the field of mobile operating systems, because the Microsoft phone system could not match Android or even fully compete with it.
Which eventually led to Nokia's adoption of Android as its operating system, despite its refusal to rely on it for several years.
Do you own an Android device? Share in the comments your favorite feature of this system!