08:13 – Android, the mobile operating system of Google



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Google prevails on operating systems for mobile devices with its Android system, present in tablets, watches and especially smartphones.

The operating system is what makes "turn" the device, What makes a computer work, like Windows for Microsoft.

According to the Gartner consulting firm, the Android system, created in 2007, is arch-dominant in the world of smartphones, with a market share of order of 85.9% (2017 figure), against about 14% for iOS, Apple's operating system that runs iPhone and iPad, and 0.1% for "other operating systems." [19659002] More than 1.3 billion Android smartphones sold in 2017, compared with around 215 million for iOS, and 1.5 million for other operating systems.

Android is an open operating system source "- unlike iOS fully controlled by Apple-, which means that different manufacturers can integrate it in their devices, without paying a license.

"Everyone, including competitors of Android, can choose to download, install, modify and distribute its + source code + for free" for " develop applications, mobile devices and even other operating systems ", argues the website of Android.

In practice, unlike iOS, which only equips Apple devices, Android is therefore integrated into the devices of different manufacturers, including the South Korean Samsung, the world leader in smartphones.

However, to avoid too much disparity and ensure that different applications are compatible with different models of devices under Android, Google has signed agreements with external players (manufacturers, application developers …) compatibility agreements ("Google's voluntary compatibility agreements").

Android says that no manufacturer is obliged to install by Google applications (Chrome, Maps, Gmail etc.) If the manufacturer or the mobile operator nevertheless decides to pre-install in its devices-which is almost always the case in view of the popularity of these applications- it is possible for them to pre-install also other competing applications.

For example, a Samsung smartphone can indeed both pre-install Google Search and another engine Internet search or its store of apps Play Store and that of Samsung, Galaxy Apps.

However, explains Android, "if manufacturers want to pre-install Google apps, they must install the set called + Google Mobile Services (GMS) +, because the applications have been designed to work together ", which allows the user, for example, to save a photo received in his Gmail box to (Google) Photos or open an attachment received by email in Drive, Google's online storage system.

GMS is licensed.

GMS contains many applications: Search, Chrome, Play Store, Play Music, Play Movies, Drive, Photos, Maps, Gmail, Hangouts, YouTube …

Google can directly earn revenue from most of these apps because they contain advertising and because some have paid versions, like YouTube Premium or for example Drive, if you want to increase the online storage volume.

Google's parent company, Alphabet, does not provide separate financial data on Android

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