Evolution of Android

Android 1.0 Astro

Android Astro was launched in 2008, with features that were mainly oriented for business and work purposes in smart phone segment.

Android Astro was released with great apps and support for using the Internet and Internet-based services such as: full HTML support in the browser, video playback with a YouTube app, and Google services like GTalk, Gmail, Google Maps and Google Sync.

It is the the first mobile operating system to pull off the pull-down notification window, and with support  of  Widgets and apps that can be downloaded and updated via the Android Market even though the market wasn’t as heavily populated then as it is now.

Thus, this version was mainly focused on the smartphones market, with less focus on entertainment features, Android users have less control over the Camera, and there is no support for video playback in build in media player. Android 1.1 (Bender) featured mostly bug fixes and updates, and was the first ever software update for Android.

Android 1.5 (Cupcake)

Cupcake was Android’s second major release, but the first commercially available version, which featured a good amount of bug fixes, and plenty of good features. It was introduced together with Android’s first touchscreen-only phone: the HTC Magic.

Widgets were introduced; Google started allowing third parties to produce widgets for Android use. Cupcake also enabled the copy-and-paste feature – which we so take for granted now – from plain text on a page to internal apps.

Users can easily swap between Still Camera and Video Camera modes with a single touch and without leaving the camera app. Video recording was made available in MP4 and 3GP formats and the auto screen rotate that we see in our devices was added in this version.

Users are also treated to uploading capabilities for videos and photos to Youtube and Picasa, respectively.

Android 1.6 (Donut)

Android Donut was launched in Sept 2009 contains several new updates including text-to-speech technology.

Search can be done by text and Voice, and this is not restricted to just the Web; you can also search your bookmark history, Contacts, Music, Dictionary and the Web with this method and from the same search box.

App screenshots/ previews are now available in the Android Market. This update also supports WVGA Screen Resolutions and better performance. The Gallery App was fully integrated with the Camera App for better and faster viewing of photos from the camera App.

Android 2.0/2.1 (Eclair)

Eclair, Android 2.0 and its update 2.1, was released in Oct 2009, bringing in a new UI and introduced of Live Wallpapers.

       Android users were also treated to the virtual keyboard for a faster typing experience and if typing takes too long, then the speech-to-text technology is the best alternative. There’s also Bluetooth 2.1 support.

Configuration of multiple email accounts at the same time and the syncing enables synchronization of emails and contacts easily across mails accounts and the Android device. Calling or texting has become a lot easier by using a long press over the Contact Name, to Call or Text them. The Camera app on Android 2.0 has flash support, Scene Modes, white balance, and digital zoom among others.

       It was introduced in this version as well, along with support for HTML5 and an improved navigational experience with Google Maps.

Android 2.2 (Froyo)

May 2010, Android 2.2 /Froyo gave  though  competition in terms of OS speed thanks to the Java V8 engine and JIT compiler which launched apps faster than ever.

Features like USB Tethering, Portable Wi-Fi Hotspot are added to this version and users can toggle data access.

Users can also now run Flash on their Android device and are treated to picture preview stacks in the 3D photo shot gallery without selecting to see the full photo first. The remote wipe features that allow you to wipe out your data in the event of a lost or stolen phone for better data protection.

Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)

Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) released at end of 2010, around six months later after Froyo. Users are able to quickly toggle between front and back camera in the modified camera app. Copy paste can now be done word by word rather than by blocks of text.

This version also has better battery management features which allows the users to see which app is consuming battery  the most. Its next update v2.3.7 introduced Google Wallet which utilizes near field communication to store cards, redeem promotions and even make secure payments from your phone.

Android 3 (Honeycomb)

Taking a break from smartphones is the Android 3.0, Honeycomb update which was designed with tablets in mind. Everything is on the UI now with no need for physical buttons. The Back and Home keys get perpetual spots at the bottom of the screen. Widgets become more prominent as developers get more room to play with due to the larger screen size.

In the main view, one can see two bars: at the top the Action bar, which gives access to individual apps and widgets, at the bottom, the System bar showing notifications and soft navigation buttons.

The additional space also allows for a better, redesigned keyboard for more accurate presses and efficient typing. Browsers carry multple tabs and is available in ‘incognito’ mode, while the Contacts and Email UI carry two panes now for better organization and access of data. This version also has better hardware acceleration and 3D graphics support. Later updates (still under Honeycomb) added connectivity of USB accessories such as external keyboards or gamepads as well as improved handwriting prediction for Chinese characters.

Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)

Android 4.0, first released on Oct 2011 and updated in March 2012, is also known as Ice Cream Sandwich. It had then high performance and speed, carrying many of the features that Honeycomb installed in tablets over to smartphones including getting rid of physical buttons for navigation.

The launcher is now customizable and users can add both apps and widgets to their homescreens. Default keys docked at the bottom of the homescreen can also be customized and carry multiple folders (or apps) which appear stacked together.

Users can now use video chat in GTalk, This version of andrid also featured Face Lock. The Task Manager now carries screenshots of recently open or currently in use apps which can be dismissed (and closed) individually by swipping them off the screen. This Swipe to wipe feature also works with notifications and browser tabs.Chrome for Android is introduced in this version.

Usage can be broken down by time spent on any and all apps, for better battery management and users can also receive warnings when breaching data limit, or disable data usage once it surpasses a preset limit. It also has an integrated snapshot capture feature which is initiated by pressing both the power button and the volume-down button together. A shutter sound indicates that a shot has been taken. Screenshots take up a separate folder in the gallery.

Other improvements include better text predictions, copy-and-paste, voice input, social-network-integrated profiles, camera features such as panorama view and options to share to social profile.

Android 4.1 (Jellybean)

June 2012, Jellybean is released. Project Butter made this latest update, faster, smoother and more responsive.

Animations and transitions are also visibly enhanced with vsync timing. Received a notification? Expand it with finger gestures to get the full info without launching the app, or return calls straight from the notification tray. Alternatively, users can opt for canned text replies in response to missed calls.

Despite this being a 0.1 update, the deal-breaker is Google Now. Initiate it by holding down the Home button and swiping up to get predicted suggestions and updates on Cards, based on your past searches and latest locations. At least, Google is putting all that gathered intelligence to good use – you get your own personal assistant, who knows you inside out and brings updates to your attention even before you ask for it.