Android is by far the most widespread mobile operating system in the world – according to StatCounter, around 70% of all smartphones worldwide run on it. Android is developed by Google on the basis of a Linux kernel and published in its open-source variant AOSP (Android Open Source Project). Manufacturers such as Samsung, Xiaomi, Oppo, Motorola and Google itself (Pixel) build their own distributions on top and add proprietary UI layers (One UI, MIUI/HyperOS, ColorOS …). For companies developing mobile apps, Android is practically always a mandatory channel – apps are usually maintained in parallel for Android and iOS.
History in brief
Android was founded in 2003 by Andy Rubin, originally as an operating system for digital cameras. Google bought the company in 2005; the first Android smartphone (HTC Dream) appeared in 2008. Since then, Android has far overtaken iOS in global market penetration, not least because it can be licensed free of charge and runs on a huge range of devices, from the €80 entry-level phone to the €1,500 flagship.
Architecture at a glance
Android is built as a stack, from bottom to top:
| Layer | Content |
|---|---|
| Linux kernel | Hardware abstraction, drivers, power/memory management |
| Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL) | Standardised interfaces to sensors, camera, audio |
| Native libraries | C/C++ libraries (OpenGL, WebKit, media codecs) |
| Android Runtime (ART) | Execution environment for apps; replaces the earlier Dalvik VM |
| Java/Kotlin APIs | What developers work with daily |
| System apps + UI skins | Launcher, phone, settings, manufacturer layers |
Each app runs in its own sandbox with its own UID and restricted permissions. Since Android 6 (2015), permissions such as camera, microphone, location or contacts must be explicitly granted by the user at runtime.
App distribution
- Google Play Store: by far the most important channel, over 3 million apps worldwide
- Galaxy Store, Huawei AppGallery, Amazon Appstore: manufacturer/third-party stores
- F-Droid: open-source community store
- Sideloading (APK download) – directly installable, unlike on iOS; useful for beta tests and enterprise distribution
Since Android 14 (2023), sideloaded apps can no longer easily be granted access to system-critical permissions – a security gain at the cost of flexibility.
App development for Android
Native development
- Kotlin has been the officially recommended language since 2019. Modern, concise, null-safe.
- Java is still supported but declining.
- Jetpack Compose is Google’s declarative UI framework, replacing XML layouts.
- IDE: Android Studio, based on IntelliJ.
Cross-platform development
For apps meant to run on both Android and iOS, a cross-platform framework is often worthwhile – it saves considerable development and maintenance effort.
- Flutter (Google, Dart) – one codebase, native performance, high-quality UIs
- Ionic: hybrid apps on a web stack, ideal for content-centred apps
- React Native (Meta) – the JavaScript/React world, native components
- Capacitor: the modern successor to Cordova for hybrid apps
Which route pays off depends on scope, performance needs and team know-how – see our overview of app development.
Security and updates
Android updates come from two sources:
- Google publishes monthly security patches directly for its Pixel devices.
- Manufacturers must incorporate the patches into their own distributions and roll them out, with strong differences in quality. Samsung, Google and more recently Honor and Xiaomi now promise 5–7 years of updates.
Apps are continuously checked for malware via Google Play Protect. In addition to permissions, there is scoped storage, the Privacy Sandbox and, since Android 13, separate permissions for images, videos and audio.
Frequently asked questions about Android
What’s the difference between Android and Android One / AOSP? AOSP is the open-source base. Android in the broad perception means the commercial variant with Google services (Play Store, Maps, Pay …). Android One was a programme for devices as close to AOSP as possible with guaranteed updates – largely discontinued today.
Is a dedicated Android app worth it, or is a website enough? Depends on the scope. If offline capability, push notifications, camera/sensor access or a presence in the Play Store matter, an app is worthwhile. For pure content and marketing presences, a progressive web app or a responsive website is often the leaner solution.
How does Android app development differ from iOS? Both platforms follow similar concepts today (declarative UI, asynchronous APIs, MVVM/MVI patterns), but language (Kotlin vs. Swift), UI framework (Compose vs. SwiftUI) and store guidelines differ. Cross-platform frameworks cushion these differences.
How often does a new Android release come out? One major version per year (Android 14, 15, 16 …), with monthly security patches in between. Roll-out speed depends heavily on the manufacturer.
Conclusion
As an open platform with a huge market share, Android is a mandatory target system for every business app. We develop Android apps both natively (Kotlin) and via cross-platform frameworks such as Flutter and Ionic – always matched to scope and budget. More details on our app development page or simply get in touch and we’ll take a look together.