Hey there! Welcome to Tech Talk, where we dive into the tech we use every day, breaking it down so we can all grasp how our gadgets work. Technology can feel really complicated, but we’re here to make it easy peasy!
Now, I get it — many of you might not care how it all ticks, and that’s totally fine! Tech should be fun and personal. But who knows, maybe you’ll learn a thing or two!
So, What’s Android Exactly?
Android is considered one of the best software systems out there, but, let’s be real, it can also be pretty baffling at times. This confusion mainly comes from not knowing where Android ends and Google’s influence begins.
Once you get the hang of it, it’s pretty straightforward, but Google’s ties to Android aren’t the same as Microsoft’s relationship with Windows or Apple’s with iOS. It’s not the norm we’re all used to.
Let’s kick off with the basics. Perhaps you’ve heard some of this before, but it’s essential for understanding the bigger picture.
Android originally came about as an operating system for digital cameras and was pioneered by the team behind the Sidekick. Google swooped in about 20 years ago, aiming to transform it into a mobile OS for phones, and it has evolved massively since then.
Basically, Android comprises millions of lines of code that anyone can grab and modify to suit their needs. But hey, if you tweak it and roll out your own products, you might have to share some of that code!
You can’t buy a phone that has Android just as it is. Sure, it exists in a complete form, but without the apps and features we’ve come to know and love.
Take Samsung, for instance. They download Android, rework it, and stuff it with loads of extras. The same goes for companies like Motorola and OnePlus. Yet, you can’t exactly pick up those phones, either.
Now, here’s where it gets a bit tricky. If a smartphone maker wants to slap the trademarked name Android on their device, marketing, or packaging, they have to play by Google’s rules. You can name your gadget “JerryOS powered by Android” if you want, but if you desire the real deal, like the name Android itself, you’ll need to adhere to certain guidelines.
These guidelines touch on hardware requirements and some technical specifics, but most of them focus on the Android app ecosystem.
So, when Samsung builds their phone, they need to create their own version of Android first, but then comes the “Googlefying” stage. Google dictates what features must be included, as well as what cannot.
For starters, the phone has to have Google Play Services so all the apps can work nicely. There’s also a growing roster of Google’s own applications, like Gmail, Chrome, and Maps. Samsung throws these into a folder on your home screen to keep things organized, or you can always check the Google Play Store to find a list of other apps they offer.
Even apps that mimic free open-source options within Android’s ecosystem need Google’s attendance. For example, while Samsung has its own web browser, it still must provide Google Chrome to stay on Google’s good side.
A simple perspective is this: If a device manufacturer wants the Google Play Store on their products, they’ve got to follow the rules. So what if they don’t?
Enter a brand like Murena. These guys sell Android phones sansGoogle, meaning there’s no Google Play Store or other Google-made apps, but they do offer alternatives that aren’t part of Google’s suite.
As a final takeaway, think about Google’s own Pixel Phones. These devices reflect Google’s design top to bottom. They do away with all the free open-source Android apps, and you won’t see any Samsung elements unless you choose to install them yourself.
Why Should You Care?
For a lot of folks (and I bet most people fall into this category), none of this really matters. Just know that while Android isn’t solely Google’s domain, your phone is packed with software from them simply because it has to be.
The key takeaway is in the code. Android might come with your phone’s dialer, but manufacturers like Google, Samsung, or Motorola create their versions and often replace the default dialer. Sometimes both versions are offered, and you pick the default upon first using it.
If Google mandated that everyone use its own dialer, we wouldn’t be where we are now, with so many developers innovating continually to improve things!
What’s more, you wouldn’t have access to source code since Google’s apps aren’t open-source. They develop these apps in-house, keep them close to their chest, and there’s no requirement for sharing.
This is a big part of why clean Android (letting go of Google’s search purchases) is more secure than other commercial systems. Unlike Apple’s iOS, there are people continuously auditing the Android code, looking for potential loopholes. We have no idea what kind of bugs might lurk in Gmail since they don’t publish their code. But when issues arise, they get fixed much quicker if the source code is out there for folks to comb through.
I often see questions about this from those just trying to get a better understanding. And honestly, it doesn’t profoundly affect how you interact with your phone in your daily life.
Still, it’s an intriguing saga watching Google grow its influence over Android devices year after year — whether that’s a good or bad thing, that’s just how they roll.
