What is Android?

What is Android?

Android isn’t a phone, or an application, but is an operating system based on the Linux kernel. No clue what that is? In its most simplistic definition, Linux is an operating system most commonly found on servers and desktop computers. Android isn’t just a version of Linux, due to the many changes found under the hood, but it is related.

So Android is an operating system designed with mobile in mind, the place where your phone’s functions and applications live. Everything you see on the display of your device is a part of the operating system. When you get a call, text message, or email, the OS processes that information and puts it in a readable format.

The Android OS is divided into various version numbers, implying significant jumps in features, operation, and stability, which usually have codenames So, if you hear someone say Android Kitkat, Lollipop, Marshmallow, Nougat or Oreo– that is just the name of the version of Android you might have on your device.

Most modern smartphones and tablets feature either Android 6.0 Marshmallow or Android 7.0 Nougat these days, with the latter platform particularly being common on newer flagship and mid-range offerings this year. On the extreme-budget end of the phone spectrum it is still possible to find Android 5.0 or older, but such devices are increasingly less common.

Most Android device manufacturers, such as Samsung, HTC, Motorola, Sony, and numerous others, usually have a skin on top of the OS. A skin, or UI overlay, is basically a custom design that adds extra features to your phone, different icons, and other tweaks designed to provide an experience unique to your chosen phone maker. The most popular skins include Samsung TouchWiz, HTC Sense, and LG UI. A phone without any major customizations is generally referred to as “stock Android”, and UIs with only minor changes (such as found with Motorola or Google Pixel phones) are often called near-stock.