Google Android OS

Android is a mobile operating system based on a modified version of the Linux kernel and other open-source software, designed primarily for touchscreen mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. Originally developed by Android Inc., which Google acquired in 2005, the software has become the most widely used mobile platform in the world.

While the software is engineered and maintained primarily in the United States, the physical products running Android are manufactured globally by numerous hardware partners. The Android brand is synonymous with open-source flexibility and is a cornerstone of the global mobile ecosystem.

Today, Android is owned and managed by Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. The development is further supported by the Open Handset Alliance, though the core direction and commercial licensing remain under the stewardship of Alphabet's headquarters in Mountain View, California.