INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
With the launch of the original iPhone, the mobile/cellular phone industry was forever changed
The term 's martphone' had now entered the cultural lexicon, ushering in a new age in which the human race's collective knowledge was now
available right from our pockets.Of course, it wouldn't be long before a worthy competitor would offer its own take on the smartphone
operating system, and internet search giant Google was more than up to the task.Originally envisioned as a company that would provide
advanced operating systems for digital cameras, Android Inc
(founded by Andy Rubin, Rich Miner, Nick Sears and Chris White) would soon set its sights on the world of handsets, eventually convincing
Google to acquire the company for $50 million in 2005.Unlike Apple's iPhone OS (which later re-branded as iOS), Android was an open-source
course of a decade, Android would grow to become arguably the world's most popular operating system, available across phones, tablets,
The first Android smartphone is releasedWith the 2008 release of the HTC T-Mobile G1 (known by the much more palatable name of HTC Dream
(320 x 480) display, a tracking ball and a thickness of 16mm, the HTC Dream was far from the sleek, stylish device that Apple's iPhone 3G
a million units in its first six months of release, clearly demonstrating the existence of a market that wanted something different to
Samsung's first Galaxy S device makes its debutToday, Samsung is the biggest smartphone manufacturer in the world, but at the time of the
original iPhone's release, nothing could be further from the truth
After producing several proto-smartphones that failed to catch on, Samsung released its first Android phone, the Galaxy i7500, in 2009.While
that phone was also unsuccessful, it showed the South Korean company just how much potential there was in the Android platform, which
design and a beautiful Super AMOLED display (yep, all the way back in 2011), the Galaxy S gave consumers their first real alternative to
Google releases its own phone in the Nexus OneLong before the success of its Pixel range of smartphones, Google tried its hand at producing
its own handsets and tablets, launching the Nexus family of devices
with manufacturer HTC, Google released the Nexus One, pitching it as a device that wasn't encumbered by third party bloatware and
undesirable manufacturer-led interfaces
By choosing a Nexus One, users would also get the latest version of Android as soon as it was available.Eventually, Google would partner
with Samsung to release the Nexus S, followed by the Galaxy Nexus
The Nexus 4 and 5 came after, only with LG providing the hardware
Google's Nexus line would continue for a few more handsets (and tablets), but would eventually be superseded by the Pixel series
The Android Market is open for businessApple's App Store, which was launched in 2008 alongside the release of the iPhone 3G, effectively
Along with apps and games, users could also purchase hardware devices from the storefront, however, that would change with the introduction
Android Wear comes to smartwatchesIn 2014, Google made the decision to enter the then-booming smartwatch market, announcing a new version of
however Android Wear continued to gain traction with users and manufacturers, eventually powering the Asus ZenWatch and the Sony SmartWatch
3.Google recently rebranded Android Wear as Wear OS, which can now be found on wearables from a number of high-profile watch and fashion
its way onto smart TVs, streaming boxes, mini PCs, refrigerators
even cars, thanks to Android Auto
It's clear that while Google's mobile OS has already been around for a decade, it seems destined to remain the world's most popular OS
Well, until Google Fuchsia is officially unveiled
