Does Android Matter? Bayode Bartley, Mark Connell

What is Android? Android is a series of software tools built by Google designed to power a next generation of mobile phone handsets. The tools are based on Linux - and so are open source and free to use. It means any one can develop software for the platform and that Android itself can be tailored for individual phones, networks and potentially users.

Android System Architecture

J2ME architecture for comparison

What is Different about Android? Google is stressing the open nature of the platform. Operating systems on current phones - such as Windows Mobile, RIM, Symbian and Palm - are proprietorial and have to be licensed for use. Google believes it will be easier and quicker to develop new applications for Android than the other systems.

Open Source? The Android Software Development Kit License Agreement states that: 3.2 You agree that Google (or Google's licensors) own all legal right, title and interest in and to the SDK, including any intellectual property rights which subsist in the SDK. Use, reproduction and distribution of components of the SDK licensed under an open source software license are governed solely by the terms of that open source software license and not by this License Agreement. Until the SDK is released under an open source license, you may not extract the source code or create a derivative work of the SDK.

Programming Software installed by end-users must be written in Java, and will not have access to lower level device API's Is this to restrictive?

Android is not (yet) open beyond Dalvik There may be a future path to allow C development, but initially this will be in the form of private libraries which are only available to your Dalvik application. Google has experimented with this to port Quake to Android. Dalvik is, of course, Open Source (under an Apache 2.0 license). But in practice, the restriction of all development being within Dalvik draws the line on what is open and what is closed in a very interesting way. It's "Open" because you don't need permission to ship an application. Developers can integrate, extend and replace components and users don't need permission to install an application. The installer is part of the platform, along with a roll- back and un-install. But Android is not (yet) open beyond Dalvik. pers_view/page2.html

What kind of features will we see? Android is a software stack developed specifically for mobiles, so it is expected that all of the typical mobile functions plus more will be present on devices. With the Android being open, there is not limit to the level of features that could potentially made on the phones.

Will my current phone work with Android? No. You will have to buy a new phone that is running the Android platform. However, some people have managed to hack android onto current hardware Have they broken the SDK licence agreement?

What is the Open Handset Alliance? Thirty four companies, including Google, have formed an alliance to promote Android and to develop features and handsets to take advantage of the platform. Companies include handset manufacturers such as LG, HTC, Motorola and Samsung, chip firms such as Qualcomm and mobile networks like T-Mobile and China Mobile. Interestingly none of the handset partners in the alliance are ditching deals with existing platforms in favour of Android

Other open platforms LiMo Foundation Same common aim as the Open Handset Alliance spearheaded by Google, of creating open mobile software platforms. Alliance of 23 mobile companies (9 more coming) Some members are also in the OHA 18 Handsets already announced for the platform Developers code with C++ OpenMoko

Marketshare What is the leading mobile phone OS?

OS Market

Benefits Customer Should lead to lower costs in handsets (more important in U.S. Market) Developer Proprietary OSs like Symbian require applications to be Signed to install on phones and to access functionality such a PIM. Symbian certificates cost money. Applications developed for Android dont require special certificates and can be easily distributed. Mobile Companies Lower production costs

Conclusions This has money behind it People have heard of this Advertising News Technology shows Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this month Prototype devices on show Unlike LiMo, a parallel product which is virtually unknown Developer support No new programming language Lots of documentation and examples Give aways in form of a competition This has Google behind it

Competition CompetitionAndroid Developer Challenge will provide $10 million in awards -- no strings attached -- for great mobile apps built on the Android platform Android Developer Challenge I: We will accept submissions from January 2 through April 14,

Videos Platform Demos 2 Videos Demonstrations of applications running on the Android platform Androidology 3 Videos A series of educational videos on the Android platform Android development demos 1 Videos Demo of developing an application on Android

Sources of Information BBC: Google Android Q&A Open Handset Alliance Android Hacked