Android(2008-)

There appears to be no codename assigned to Versions 1.0 and 1.1 of Android OS. Google bought a company called Android back in July 2005. Android was headed by several mobile bigshots, including former head of a big carrier, ex-owner of a phone maker, and more. After their buyout, Android went into stealth mode, and rumors spread that Google is working on a mobile phone. The dam finally broke in November 2007, when Google suddenly announced that they are indeed working on a phone (Google Phone), but also a brand-new mobile operating system called Android, based on the Linux kernel, to be used by the Open Handset Alliance, a group of 65 different hardware maker, carriers, and other mobile-related companies. HTC was the first phone maker to get a real consumer phone out, the T-Mobile G1 (also known as the HTC Dream outside of US), on October 2008. An update of Android, version 1.1, was released in February 2009. However, the first significant version of Android OS that really showcased the power of the platform is V1.5, codename "Cupcake". September 23, 2008, Android 1.0, the first commercial version of Android is released. Just over 3 years later, October 19, 2011, after evolving from Cupcake, Donut, Eclair, Froyo, Gingerbread, and Honeycomb, not including Astro and Bender, Ice Cream Sandwich was announced.