ANDROID TECHNOLOGY

Rishabh Upadayay, Dakshil Talsaniya.

Thakur Polytechnic
ABSTRACT
Android is a software stack for mobile
devices that includes an operating system,
middleware and key application.
Android is a software platform and
operating system for mobile devices
based on the Linux operating system
and developed by Google and the
Open Handset Alliance. It allows
developers to write managed code in a
Java-like language that utilizes
Google-developed Java libraries, but
does not support programs developed in
native code
Keywords
Programmed in: c, c++, java

Android is a software platform and

operating system for mobile devices
based on the Linux operating system and
developed by Google and the OpenHandset
Alliance. It allows developers to write
managed code in a Java-like language
that utilizes Google-developed Java
libraries, but does not support programs
developed in native code. T h e u n v e i l i n g
o f t h e An d r o i d p l a t f o r m o n 5
November 2007 was announced
w i t h t h e founding of the Open
Handset Alliance, a consortium of 34
hardware, software and telecom
companies devoted to advancing open
standards for mobile devices. When released
in 2008,most of the Android platform

Os family: Linux

will be made available under the

Target: smart phone, tablet.

Apache free-software and open-source

1. INTRODUCTION
Android is a software stack
for mobile devices that includ
es an operating system,
middleware and key applications.

license.

THE BIRTH OF ANDROID

Google Acquires Android Inc.
In July 2005, Google acquired Android
Inc., a small startup company based in
Palo Alto, CA. Android's co-founders
who went to work at Google included

Andy Rubin(co-founder of Danger),

O p e n H a n d s e t Al l i a n c e , t h e O H A

Rich Miner (co-founder of Wildfire

also unveiled

Communications, Inc), Nick Sears

their first product, Android, a

(once VP at T-Mobile), and Chris

n o p e n s o u r c e m o b i l e d e v i c e pla

White (one of the first engineers at

t form based on the Linux operating system.

WebTV). At the time, little was known

about the functions of Android Inc.

2.FEATURES

other than they made software for mobile

Application Framework

phones. A t G o o g l e , t h e t e a m , l e d b y

It is used to write applications

Rubin, developed a Linux-based

for Android. Unlike

m o b i l e d e v i c e O S which they

other embedded mobile

marketed to handset makers and

environments, Android applications

carriers on the premise of providing a

are all equal, for instance, an

flexible, upgradeable system. It

applications which come with

was reported that Google had

the phone are no different than those

a l r e a d y l i n e d u p a series of

that any developer writes.

hardware component and software

The framework is supported

partners and signaled to carriers that it

by numerous open source libraries

was open to various degrees of cooperation

such as open ssl, SQLite and libc.

on their part.

It is also supported by the Android

Open Handset Alliance

core libraries.F r o m t h e p o i n t o f s e c

Founded
On 5 November 2007, the O
pen Handset Alliance, a
c o n s o r t i u m o f s e v e r a l compan
ies which include Google, HTC, I
n t e l , M o t o r o l a , Q u a l c o m m , TM o b i l e , Sprint Nextel and NVIDIA,
was unveiled with the goal to develop
open standards f o r m o b i l e d e v i c e s .
Along with the formation of the

u r i t y, t h e f r a m e w o r k i s b a s e d o n U
N I X f i l e s ys t e m p e r m i s s i o n s t h a t a
ssure applications have only those
a b i l i t i e s t h a t m o b i l e p h o n e owner
gave them at install time.1.2.2.

Dalvik Virtual Machine

It is extremely low-memory based
virtual machine, which was designed
especially for Android to run on
embedded systems and work well in

low power situations. It is also tuned to

Definition Document (CDD). Devices must

the CPU attributes. The Dalvik VM creates a

also meet this definition to be eligible to

special file format (.DEX) that is

license Google's closed-source applications,

created through build time

including Google Play.

post processing. Conversion between Java

6. ANDROID ARCHITECTURE

classes and .DEX format is done by included

Android is open-source software

dx tool.

architecture provided by the Open Handset

3. LICENSING

Alliance, a group of 71 technology and

The

source

code

for

Android is available under free and open

mobile companies whose objective is to

provide a mobile software platform.

source software licenses. Google publishes

most of the code under the Apache License
version 2.0. The Open Handset Alliance
develops the changes to the

The Android platform includes

an

operating

system,

middleware

and

applications. As for the features, Android

incorporates the common features found

Linux kernel, the rest of Android is

nowadays in any mobile device platform,

developed in private by Google, with source

such as: application framework

code released publicly when a new version

is released. Typically Google collaborates
with a hardware manufacturer to produce a
'flagship' device featuring the new version of

Reusing, integrated browser, optimised

graphics,

media

support,

network

technologies, etc.

Android, then makes the source code

The Android architecture, depicted in

available after that device has been released.

Figure, is composed by five layers:

In early 2011, Google

Applications,

Application

Framework,

choose to temporarily withhold the Android

Libraries, Android Runtime and finally the

source

3.0

Linux kernel.

the

The uppermost layer, the Applications layer,

device

provides the core set of applications that are

code

Honeycomb
software

to

the

release.
is

tablet-only

Even

though

open-source,

manufacturers cannot use Google's Android

trademark unless Google certifies that the
device complies with their Compatibility

commonly offered out of

Research from Security Company Trend

8. SECURITY AND SAFETY

Android applications run
in a sandbox, an isolated area of the system
that does not have access to the rest of the
system's

resources,

unless

access

permissions are explicitly granted by the

user when the application is installed.
Before installing an application, the Play
Store displays all required permissions: a
game may need to enable vibration or save
data to an SD card, for example, but should
not need to read SMS messages or access
the phonebook. After reviewing these
permissions, the user can choose to accept or

Micro lists premium service abuse as the

most common type of Android malware,
where text messages are sent from infected
phones to premium-rate telephone numbers
without the consent or even knowledge of
the user. In 2011, Google demonstrated
"Android Home", a new home automation
technology which uses Android to control a
range of household devices including light
switches, power sockets and thermostats.
Prototype light bulbs were announced that
could be controlled from an Android phone
or tablet.
Other malware displays unwanted

refuse them, installing the application only if

they accept.
The sandboxing and permissions system

and intrusive adverts on the device, or sends

personal
Information to unauthorized

lessens the impact of vulnerabilities and

bugs in
applications, but developer confusion and
limited documentation has resulted in
applications routinely requesting
unnecessary permissions, reducing its
effectiveness. Several security firms, such as
Lookout Mobile Security, AVG
Technologies, and McAfee, have released
antivirus software for Android devices. This
software is ineffective as sandboxing also
applies to such applications, limiting their
ability to scan the deeper system for threats.

third parties. Security threats on Android are

reportedly growing exponentially; however,
Google engineers have argued that the
malware and virus threat on Android is
being exaggerated by security companies for
commercial reasons, and have accused the
security industry of playing on fears to sell
virus protection software to users. Google
maintains

that

dangerous

malware

is

actually extremely rare.

Google currently uses their Google
Bouncer malware scanner to watch over and

scan the Google Play store apps. It is

for its development.

intended to flag up suspicious apps and warn

users of any potential issues with an
application before they download it. Android

10. MAIN KEY ADVANTAGES

version 4.2 Jelly Bean was released in 2012

1. User friendly 2. Open source code 3.

with enhanced security features, including a

Virus free 4. Millions of free applications. 5.

malware scanner built into the system,

Customizing easily 6. Making own app

which works in combination with Google

easily

Play but can scan apps installed from third

party sources as well, and an alert system
which notifies the user when an app tries to
send a premium-rate text message, blocking
the message unless the user explicitly

Share of different os in smartphones

globally

11. CONCLUSSION
As we all know that a smartphone
is one which does all the work which a

authorizes it.

personal computer do, at cheaper price

9. OTHER THAN

android does it ,so that every can access and

SMARTPHONES

modify it for his needs. The android team is

The open and customizable

trying to make the os for pc so that it can

nature of Android allows it to be used on

other electronics, including laptops and

also available for cheaper and better

netbooks, smart books smart TVs and

computing facilities for future.

cameras. In addition, the Android operating

system has seen applications on smart

1. thenewboston.com

glasses, wristwatch.
Ouya,
videogames

console

13. REFERNCES

an
running

upcoming
Android,

became one of the most successful Kick

starter campaigns, crowd funding US$8.5m

2. Gizmodo ,www.gizmodo.com
3. Wikipedia, www.wikipedia.org