From the first to the latest version of Android

From Android 0.5 to Android 13: This is how Google plus’s operating system has changed since it started as a small project almost 20 years ago.

There is a lot of information on the internet about it the latest versions of Android. However, due to the operating system’s unpopularity in its predecessors – logical on the other hand – the origin of Android remains a mystery to many. For this reason, our goal in this article is to review one by one, All android versions of all timefrom the first to the last, with its key features and innovations that have made Android the platform it is today, implanted in more than 3 billion devices around the world.

It all started back in 2003when young Andy Rubin, Chris White, Rich Miner and Nick Sears started the Android project, beginning with the founding of the Android Inc. His goal in those early days was to devote his efforts to developing an operating system aimed at improving the usuario experience of digital cameras – devices that were in full swing at the time. Later, in 2005, Google plus intervened of these three entrepreneurs who took over the company, which was founded just a few years ago.

From there, we all know how the project has evolved over the years. Eight great versions of Androida platform that maintains the crown of today most used mobile operating system in the world, with more than 3,000 million active devices. This is how the most habitual mobile platform in the world was born.

• All Android versions and their development

All Android versions and their development

Let’s check One after the otherevery version of Android that has existed over the years describes the Features, news and curiosities from each of them. If you want to switch to a specific version, we recommend using the index on these lines to jump directly to the version you want.

Android 0.5 – The beginning of everything

In its first edition Android was very different from what we know today. Probably due to the fact that until the arrival of the Apple iPhone, the operating system was intended for teléfonos inteligentes with a physical QWERTY keyboard. The phone in the picture, Sooner, is the first móvil inteligente in history to run Android, although it hasn’t officially seen the light of day yet.

The first true indoor Android phone, Earlierit was more of a Blackberry than the typical móvil inteligente we think of today.

This first version was called Android 0.5 Milestone 3, the interfaz was adapted to “small” screen terminals and only integrated applications such as Google plus Maps, a browser and other essential telephone tools. However, It wouldn’t be before Android 0.5 Milestone 5when the foundation of what Android is today really began.

With Milestone 5 came one of the most important changes in Android history, just three months after the arrival of Milestone 3. It was released in February 2008, saying goodbye to the a phone-oriented interfaz controlled by a full keyboard Blackberry-style to make way for teléfonos inteligentes with large diagonal touchscreens.

The now more usuario-friendly interfaz introduced one of the essential components of the operating system for the first time: Sign. On the other hand, the home screen has little to do with what we see today in Android 8.0 as it was not changeable once it was there a page with a sidebar consisting of various application shortcuts and a static background.

Because this edition was intended to be used on emulators and not run on physical devices, Many functions of the system were not yet available. Curiously, it should be noted because of by Apple and one of its patents, Android could not count gestures press to zoom for enlarging images or web pagesand it wasn’t until Android 0.9 Beta that many of the features we know today appeared.

Android 0.9 Beta – The first strokes in the new look

This is beginning to sound familiar to me. Android 0.9 Beta was the last test version before the operating system was released to the publicand it was the version that introduced some of the signature additions that would be the world’s most widely used mobile platform just 10 years later.

The entire usuario interfaz has been completely redesigned from what we saw in Milestone 5, giving way to a more colorful look Home screen page where native widgets could be addedmore applications and finally aplicación drawer slide from below.

Changes have also been made to the signage, preparing for its debut in the final version. The option to remove all alerts was introduced for the first time, and the status bar icons were changed for better readability.

Almost all system applications have been redesigned, including the dialer, the contacts aplicación, the alarm clock or the browser. In addition, Android 0.9 Beta was the first version of the system in which Google plus Maps began to work. this is the first time they are preparing for the leap to a hardware Serious.

Android 1.0 Apple Pie – arrival of the first device

October 2008 is comingand the day comes when Android finally reaches the point of maturity that allows it to take the plunge hardware Real, aimed at the public thanks to the first phone launched with Android: the HTC Dream or Google plus G1.

Android 1.0 the first version of the system to take advantage candy names in alphabetical order, who have been with us for ten years. Google plus decided to christen this first edition as Apple Pie, Apple Pieand the reasons why those in Mountain View chose to use these titles remain a mystery.

Android 1.0 was the first Version with a proper aplicación store, but only free aplicaciones and games could be released.

In the apple pie google plus aplicación suite, commonly known as GApps. Among them was a tool that would be a key element in the development of Android and its consolidation as an operating system: Android marketStore, although it initially started out as an exclusive selection of aplicaciones and games — and when developers couldn’t even charge money to create them — Google plus’s plan was to make it a full platform for content beyond aplicaciones.

Along with the Store aplicación we have others like Calendar, Gmail, Settings and a very early version of YouTube. In addition, security options have been integrated for the first time, including for the start screen the unlock pattern as characteristic of Google plus’s mobile platform, and small details that are aparente at the interfaz level, such as battery warning from 15%

Android 1.1 Banana Bread – A major breakthrough for aplicación developers

Since then, Android 1.1 has been considered the first incremental update of the operating system It came to fix most of the errores found in Android 1 However, Google plus gave him a new name, and voice search stands out among his novels Google plus voice searchwhose operation consisted of voice commands that were later translated into searches in the search engine.

On the other hand, Google plus first introduced support for paid aplicaciones and games in the Aplicación Store, This makes the market a source of income for developers. Also, a service appeared under the name Google plus Latitude, which allowed users to share their location with the rest of the world. Sooner or later this platform disappeared to later be integrated into the Google plus+ popular network.

Android 1.5 Cupcake – The appearance of the virtual keyboard

We land in the middle of 2009 and it was a cupcake to welcome us. Android 1.5While it wasn’t the first version to be named after a candy, it was the first with a trade name announced by Google plus itself.

The highlight of this version was a system component that we probably couldn’t do without today: the virtual keyboard. Thanks to this tool, manufacturers who wanted to develop teléfonos inteligentes with Android did not necessarily have to follow the trend of developing devices with many physical buttons and a full QWERTY keyboard.

The notification panel has also been redesigned –as in almost all versions of Android– a background with a new texture and notification cards showing a cleaner and smoother look.

On the other hand, third-party developers were given the opportunity to create their own home screen widgets and make them available for download vía the Android Market. As a curiosity, it is also worth noting that in Android 1.5 a functionality was introduced that later disappeared, called live folder, which consisted of icons on the home screen that, when clicked, displayed real-time information about the application in question, such as alerts or notifications, without opening the aplicación itself. Got the iniciativa?

Another of the additions that showed the system’s lack of maturity in mid-2009 was the ability to do so Record vídeos with a cell phone camera. Before Android 1.5, the operating system did not offer the possibility to record vídeos from the native application. An application that, on the other hand, only had the possibility of taking photos and recording vídeos, nothing more.

Among other novels of this version we also found one new bar for zooming web pages, images and maps, the ability to copy or paste text in the native browser. ​​​​Some aplicaciones have also received new features, such as YouTube, which now lets you upload vídeos from your phone. All these improvements made it possible to have the second Android móvil inteligente in history, the HTC Magicwho would then be one of the first to receive the next update.

Android 1.6 Donut – Support for new screen sizes is coming

The months go by and Google plus continues to release new versions of the system at a good pace. We are reaching September 2009 and it is time Make the jump to Android 1.6 and with it the letter D for donut.

Android Donut was the first version of the operating system including support for different screen sizesand so the foundation would be laid for what would be done next motto from Android: Be together, not the same. In this way, manufacturers saw how the ban on the manufacture of various types of phones was opened.

Secondly, Many of Android 1.6’s improvements focused on system applications, since Android wasn’t as modular a system as it is today, and Google plus couldn’t update applications like YouTube or the Android Market itself by any means other than a full system update.

But those weren’t the only novels. It was introduced for the first time in the system Support for CDMA networksand the Android Market has been completely redesigned, adopting a cleaner and more colorful style and integrating application screens for the first time.

Donut was the first coincidente version Text-to-Speech Systems, which allows applications to play sound based on entered text. This was also the first time Android let users see battery status report and see which aplicaciones and system components are using the most power.

Android 2.0 and 2.1 Éclair – The first major redesign in history

With Android’s first major leap in numbering came a major redesign. Éclair was the name chosen by Google plus for Android 2.0and the Motorola Droid, a true classic in the history of Google plus’s mobile platform, was one of the first phones to integrate the reboot of the operating system.

Among other things, Android 2.0 introduced an updated lock screen, with a rotating panel that mimicked the dial of the old analog phones. To unlock the terminal, you would have to slide down from the center of the panel, and a left or right swipe would mute the terminal or open the phone aplicación. It should be noted that since Apple’s patents were famous, Google plus was forced to develop this system in practice Slide to unlock. However, with Android 2.1, this aspect of the usuario interfaz has been modified again, adopting a slightly less confusing format for the usuario.

Due to the big jump in resolution that the Motorola Droid brought to 854×480 pixels instead of the 320×480 of the Google plus G1, Google plus had to pull back almost every aspect of the usuario interfaz and therefore use it to modify the archivo. Format from the home screen, remove the analog clock and entrar Google plus search bar at topwhich has remained intact on the Android home screen ever since.

But perhaps the most important addition is Android 2.0 GPS Navigation on Google plus Maps. Eventually, users could rely on their teléfonos inteligentes to take trips and get directions to places, all for free. To put in perspective the impact of this addition on the industry, suffice it to comment on the fact that TomTomis one of the largest companies specializing in manufacturing GPS devices, in the depósito market it fell by up to 40% in the week following the release of Android 2.0.

But there is more, much more. Android Éclair is considered one of the biggest updates in history, and it’s no wonder. Features such as coche brightness, various scenes in native camera aplicación or pre-installed Fb aplicación –Thank God Google plus decided to remove it later–. However, Google plus has saved surprises for later.

In January 2010 the day had come The Nexus family of devices was introducedwith a phone under the name Nexus One, again manufactured by HTC. The main goal of this saga was to offer a pure experience with the operating system and Google plus services, without considering all the add-ons used by the operators of the time.

Introduced alongside the Nexus One was Android 2.1, an overhaul of Éclair that included new features that would soon become necessary, such as: Animated wallpaper a completely unique feature that the iPhone didn’t even include, or a new aplicación drawer which was now displayed when viewed in full screen mode and whose background was completely black.

Google plus liked that too Redesigning applications and adding animations throughout the usuario interfaz. In Android 2.1, the gallery, news and weather aplicaciones, and even the pre-installed widgets got a much more modern look.

And yes, there was another addition that Google plus reserved for the update called Android 2.1 Update 1. it was that system Pinch to zoomlets you zoom in or out on an image, map, or web page by pinching two fingers together on the screen. As expected, this sparked the war between Google plus and Apple, and those at Cupertino began to sue left and right with every manufacturer that emplees Android on their phones. But they had no iniciativa what was in store for them in the following years.

Android 2.2 Froyo – Performance increases sharply thanks to Dalvik JIT

In May 2010, there were more and more Android teléfonos inteligentes, and Froyo was the version responsible for starting a new era of the operating systemSignificantly improved performance thanks to the addition of the Dalvik JIT compiler, which converts Java bytecode to the native language in real time.

Although this was the main innovation of Android 2.2, new features such as a dock of applications on the home screen with two side icons to run the browser and phone aplicación – which weren’t customizable – and central to open the aplicación drawer.

Other small improvements have been made in the ability to control downloads in the Android Market, thanks to a button Update all aplicaciones or turn on automatic updates, as well as the arrival of Adobe Flash Player on Android, which offers a much more complete multimedia browsing experience. Finally it was presented Support for transferring aplicaciones to microSD cards, a little more than needed at a time when 1GB of internal storage seemed like too much.

But most importantly, there was voice control. It came to Android in August and would allow it Control the system using users’ voice commands, which Google plus servers interpreted in a few seconds and sent back to the phone to perform the appropriate action. Despite being an embryonic project, the technology was perfected over the months, evolving into one of the most advanced speech recognition systems of its time.

Android 2.3 Gingerbread – Usuario interfaz flood colors

But Android’s biggest redesign to date was to wait until December 2010, when Google plus released it Version 2.3 of Android dubbed Gingerbread. The colors gray and white disappeared to make room darker tonesand the rich green as an accent colour flooding the entire system interfaz. In short, it was a much more modern design that could finally be Aesthetically compete with iOS.

It was there, capitalizing on the arrival of Gingerbread, when Google plus decided to renew its family of Nexus teléfonos inteligentes, and Thanks to the collaboration with Samsung, the Nexus S was bornIt was the second installment in the saga of Google plus devices, which also made significant leaps in terms of size, specifications and multimedia range. the first Nexus with NFC connectivity.

In this release, one of the interfaz components that changed the most was the Ad panel, it has dark background to make ads more meaningful in the form of cards. The green color also flooded the status bar icons, and the effect was introduced for the first time scroll over when you reach the end of a scrollable list or menu.

Secondly, Gingerbread was a big step forward in mobile gamingbecause thanks to the new APIs, developers could access sound, controls, graphics and system memory.

Finally, it should be noted Android 2.3 Gingerbread is one of the oldest versions that was still aparente in the system distribution data until recentlywith a share of 0.3% worldwide in April 2018.

Android 3.0 Honeycomb – The first version exclusively for tabletas

Android version 3.0 was the first – and only – exclusively for tabletas. Released in February 2011, Honeycomb was the the first edition of Android created by Matías Duarte as head of design and usuario experience on the Android computer. And the truth is, it’s been noticed, and a lot.

Android has taken a big step forward in terms of design and embraced it the lines that became known Hi, and would breathe life into the Android interfaz for years to come. Because it was a tablet-specific edition, no móvil ever received the Android 3.0 update, allowing Google plus to focus on improving the experience on larger devices.

The entire surface dispensed with the green accent color to make room different shades of light blue that contrast with the black of the system menus and application backgrounds. Even the dispositivos turned blue, and The lock screen has been changed againto get a more minimal format. At that time, Google plus and Motorola were ready to go the first tablet with honeycomb inside.

Under the name of Motorola Xoom is here, a 10 inch tablet with a 16:9 screenwhose specifications with 1 GB of RAM, Nvidia Tegra 2 processor and surprisingly There is no button on his face.

The lack of buttons prompted Google plus to include an on-screen virtual navigation bar that would allow manufacturers to create devices with new formats and delegate control to a virtual button panel containing the Menu, home and back buttons.

Thanks to the tablet format with more available screen real estate, Google plus wanted to encourage multitasking based on that New recent aplicaciones menu that espectáculos a thumbnail of each aplicación and its contentinstead of a just espectáculo the icon as in the mobile version of Android. However, it was such a premature system that the usuario could only see the last seven open aplicaciones without the ability to do so scroll see above.

This was the first time it was introduced, by the way quick settings panelaccessible from the system tray.

Ice Cream Sandwich Android 4.0 – Holo theme comes mobile

In October 2011 the design Hi What we’ve seen before in Honeycomb lands on a version of Android coincidente with both teléfonos inteligentes and tabletas. Other Honeycomb features have also been carried over, such as the lock screen, the quick settings panel available in the notification bar, and the virtual navigation bar.

The first phone to include this version was again the third móvil inteligente in the Google plus Nexus family. It was made by Samsung again, and this time the South Korean company’s influence was more evident: The Samsung Galaxy Nexus was born.

The terminal shared some details with the Samsung Galaxy S2, such as: B. be Plastic case with textured back. Besides, it was Technology better than most teléfonos inteligentes on the market, because Android 4.0 needed more power than previous versions. On the other hand, the device came through, although it was initially well received by critics Criticized for his gigantic 4.65 inch screen, too big for some. Thanks to the existence of virtual buttons on Android, this would be the first móvil inteligente to do without the physical button bar.

Many of the system applications, like Android Market, YouTube, News, and even the launcher, have been redesigned with a more futuristic aesthetic and follow the lines Hi, and its icons too. Likewise, The aplicación drawer has now been split into two tabs, Aplicaciones and Widgets. and the advertising panel had a transparent background.

The last aplicaciones menu we saw in Android 3.0 was also featured, and the launcher allowed you to add aplicación folders, or change widgets Save space or occupy more.

Finally, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich was the first supported version Android Raya system that allowed content to be shared over connections between two Android devices your backthanks to the NFC connection.

But before a new version came out, on March 6, 2012, Google plus decided to introduce it a new approach to its multimedia content services, which became part of the Google plus Play family. In this way, The Android Market became the Google plus Play Store, Google plus Books was renamed Google plus Play Books, Google plus Play became Google plus Play Music, and a largometraje series and service called Google plus Play Movies & televisión appeared. For the time being, only the names of the aplicaciones were changed, and the design stayed the same until a few months later.

Android 4.1 and 4.2 Jelly Bean – Project Butter and Google plus Now to make your life easier

After laying the groundwork for the new design, it took Google plus six months to escoge to release the new version of the system. named Jelly Bean. The most important was one that was completely invisible to the usuario, called Google plus butter project. It was a project where the Android team’s engineers managed to display system animations at 30 fps, thus trying to catch up with iOS in terms of overall fluidity.

However, the system interfaz has not changed significantly since ICS Yes, change – again – the notification panelwhich now for the first time had a large digital clock at the top Ads were expandable to display their content without accessing the aplicación in question. as well as quick actions.

It also seemed possible for the first time Add different usuario accounts to the same device. Intended mainly for use on tabletas, this system allowed each usuario to have their own space in the terminal with their applications, settings and safe customizations.

But Jelly Bean was more important than any other Google plus now. Although a bit confusing at first, it later became an integral part of the Android ecosystem. According to Google plus, Now was the future of Google plus searchand it consisted of a panel full of cards with relevant information for users aparente throughout the day, even before the usuario had to approve that information.

Secondly, Google plus Play services were implemented in Android 4.1This allows Google plus to update essential system features – like Google plus Now itself – without having to release full system updates.

Just a few months later came Android 4.2, an overhaul of Jelly Bean that, while not introducing much new, served as a welcome step for two new Nexus devices: the LG Nexus 4 and the Nexus 10 signed by Samsung.

Android 4.2 was built into both devices, despite that The Nexus 4 was a phone with great design, high performance and a restrained price – only $300 -, with a Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, a 4.7-inch HD LCD screen and 2 GB of RAM. For her, The Nexus 10 was the first 10-inch Nexus tablet.with a large resolution of 2,560 x 1,600 pixels and high-end specs to directly compete with Apple’s iPad 4, which was launched the same month as the Nexus 10. Sold directly on Google plus Playin a separate section called “Devices”.

As for the changes in Android 4.2, the option remains for us Add widgets to the lock screenand a new interfaz for tabletas.

In the summer of 2021, Google plus ended support on Google plus Play services for the official Jelly Bean.

Android 4.4 KitKat – Hey Google plus, it emplees less memory

On the same day as Halloween in 2013, Google plus introduced a new version of Android, named after Nestlé’s famously cute KitKat. This was Google plus’s first collaboration with a food company to name a version of its operating system, and also launched a massive advertising campaign by creating KitKats in the form of androids and Rafts for Nexus 7 tabletas around the world.

But the release of Android 4.4 He was blown away by what many consider to be the best android in history: the LG Nexus 5. It was the second Nexus phone to be developed in collaboration with LG, and it kept the essence of the previous Nexus 4 while making a big leap in terms of specs and size – it was the first Nexus with a 5-inch -Full HD screen.

Perhaps the most important thing about Android KitKat, or at least what Google plus was most proud of, was that a system called Project Svelte, turned into a significant reduction in RAM memory usage, thanks to various optimizations that allowed the operating system to run with a memory amount of only 340 MB. This was a launchpad for mid-range and low-end teléfonos inteligentes that were finally gaining traction.

On a visual level, KitKat has forgotten the blue accents of previous versions of the system to give in a white waywhich brings a new approach to design Hi. Also for the first time Google plus Now has now been integrated into the launcher, which is available to the usuario by simply swiping on the right side of the main screen. Transparencies took over the interfaz, and an immersive mode that hid system bars automatically if necessary.

But maybe Most destacable is the “Ok Google plus” voice command, which allows you to do a Google plus search without touching the phone. At the application level, Google plus Photos was first introduced, albeit as an extension of the Google plus Agregado popular network, and the phone aplicación became Smartable to espectáculo the usuario the most relevant contacts, or the ability to search for nearby places and their contact phone numbers.

Android 5 Lollipop – The most important update in the history of the operating system

I think we perro all agree that Android 5.0 Lollipop, released in November 2014, is the most important version of Android in the entire history of the operating system. First the program was created developer preview, which allowed developers and enthusiasts to test the latest news before anyone else, revealing details such as the version number or last name secret. This is how “Android L” was born and with it Lines Design material design.

According to Google plus, the purpose of Material Design is to create a visual language that combines the classic principles of good design with the innovation and possibilities of technology and science..

Material Design was the biggest turning point in Android history, and a historic addition to the overall Google plus ecosystem. Matías Duarte announced it at Google plus I/O in 2014, touting it as the new design style for Android and the rest of Mountain View’s products and services. The main iniciativa was that the operating system and the various applications, websites and platforms had a afín interfaz based on metaphorical physical elements such as ink and paper, including virtual shadows, textures and bumps on a three-dimensional canvas.

The biggest changes Material Design made to the Android interfaz were the new quick settings panel, more minimal navigation bar, 60 fps animation built from scratch and a 3D vertical menu in recent aplicaciones list style. In addition, all applications have now been received Each aplicación’s headers as a whole were one main color.

In addition to applying Material Design to the entire system interfaz as well as the various Google plus applications, Android 5.0 Lollipop introduced the ART virtual machine, which would later replace Dalvik, making a significant leap in system performance. Rewritten from the ground up, ART was intended to improve application launch speeds and optimize memory consumption on modern hardware..

The main improvement introduced by EAL was support for 64-bit Java applications, in addition to a significant increase in performance.

Lollipop also aimed to improve the battery life of devices, thanks to the system Project Volta. That’s how it started offering power tracking tools to see which activities, tasks, and services were consuming the most battery.

Another year, the ads were redesigned to engage users interact with them from the green screen in the form of cards, and perform quick actions such as B. replying to messages, deferring tasks or reminders and more. On the other hand, users have more control over advertising thanks to Priority, All Sound, and Completely Silent modes.

Android 6 Marshmallow – Improve permission management

We have landed exactly in October 2015, the month that Google plus presents with its latest logotipo change after sixteen years of using the same typography the 6.0 version of Android named Marshmallow. Since Material Design was only introduced a year ago, we didn’t notice much design changes from the more streamlined and cleaner Google plus Now panel. There was one of the biggest changes the aplicación drawer format and return to the original vertical scrolling list of the earliest versions of the system, along with a quick selector to find applications more easily.

Important additions to this version Now tapa system that allowed a long press of the home button to access a menu that recognized the content aparente on the screen and its context to display relevant information to the usuario. Although the iniciativa was good, many users saw the benefit of Now tap It was a far cry from what Google plus originally showed us.

The marshmallow was a great novelty Granular permissions systemapproved by usuario View the various permissions required by the applications and enable them manually. This way, instead of having access to each application’s settings to disable these questionable permissions, a message is displayed when the usuario is running an aplicación and needs a specific permission. now on the screen from which the usuario perro accept or deny permission to the application.

The granular permissions system is one of the biggest security advances in Android history, as applications required manual and explicit usuario actions.

Under the hood, Google plus continued its especial fight against battery-eating aplicaciones and unveiled the system TWELVE. This method was started once The device was static at one point, disconnected and the screen turned offto enable a low-performance mode that limited background permissions and after a while disabled network access and thus ignored it wake up green of applications.

But one of the things that users liked the most was the name Acceptable storageturning the external sd card into an extension of the internal storage, where applications cánido be easily installed or data stored.

At the level of announcements, they appeared for the first time ads in format peckThis included alerts that took the form of banners at the top of the screen, although unlike Lollipop, only high-priority notifications were eligible for using this type of alert.

In Android 6, the volume control format also changed, and they appeared for the first time monthly security updates. Google plus also wanted to pave the way for the introduction of modern teléfonos inteligentes with new security systems based on biometrics thanks to the inclusion of Fingerprint API that implements fingerprint reader support.

Android 7 Nougat – More material design and Google plus’s first phones

in 2016 Android 7.0 Nougat has arrivedand with this version, Google plus’s future as a phone company thanks to the appearance of the Pixel, the first phones designed by the company itself, inheriting the Nexus family.

With Android 7, Google plus has further refined the material design and integrated new functions into the system, y también.g. B. Running two applications on a split screen with a long press of the multitasking button. Also added the possibility Responses to messages from advertisersSupport for the Vulkan API to improve the vídeo game experience or improvements to the DOZE power saving mode that now works as soon as the device screen is turned off.

There have also been important changes to the system’s native launcher, for example the appearance of quick shortcuts – in Android 7.1 – which provided access to the quick functions of applications with a quick press on the iconApplication dock with a semi-transparent background, or a new layout that made the Google plus bar disappear to make room for a small capsule at the top left.

Under the hood of Nougat came one of the biggest changes in Android history, improving the way devices received OTA updates. It was actually a feature borrowed from Google chrome OS that bore the name Seamless updates and consisted of dividing the system memory into two different partitions.

​​​​The first would focus on storing system data and usuario information, and so on the secondary would be unpopulated by default and only used when an update is received. In this way, the new version of the system will be installed in the second partition and the usuario cánido continue to use the main partition. As a result, the time the phone spends idle during the upgrade process to a new version of Android has been significantly reduced.

Android 8 Oreo – Artificial Intelligence comes to life

Android 8.0 is the current Android for almost 15% of users worldwide. It was unveiled in August 2017, just months before the second generation of Google plus’s Pixel phones saw the light of day the second version of the story in which Google plus teamed up with a brand in the food industry like NabiscoDo The latest version It was named after another candy that is similarly habitual as KitKat: transmission.

One of the features that Android Oreo focused on at the time of its release was the ad management, Improving the order of these notifications thanks to different priority levels and giving the usuario the possibility to postpone notifications or manually choose what type of notifications they want to receive from each application thanks to the advertising channels.

So new ad formats were added, for example cue points or cue badgestwo systems that allowed us to see directly on the application icon if we had a notification, or to see its content by long pressing it.

Android 8 introduced that too Picture-in-Picture mode, which allows you to view different types of content – vídeos, maps or vídeo calls – in a small floating window while the usuario continues to use other applications. Native text autofill has also appeared, accompanied by smart text selection and a new paquete of emojis replacing the famous ones blobs.

But the most important addition, not just to Android 8 but to the operating system in its entire history, is under the hood of this latest version of the system. It’s called Project Treble, and it’s the biggest step Google plus has taken against the fragmentation Android has suffered from since its inception.

More than an addition, Project Treble is a structural change. Its purpose is to modulate the operating system itselfSeparating drivers and other code related to device hardware —salesperson–, by Android itself. Therefore, simpler, faster, and cheaper system updates are being developed and released by various móvil inteligente manufacturers.

Later, with Android 8.1, most of the new features were reduced to small interfaz details, like light/dark mode depending on the wallpaper, a quick semi-transparent settings panel or a floating menu toggle. However, the main story of this incremental version was the arrival the Neural Network APIapproved by developers Implementation of AI and machine learning systems in their aplicaciones.

Despite actions taken by Google plus to speed up the launch of Android Oreo, only the version arrived 21.5% share of devices worldwide one year after market launch.

Android 9.0 Pie – Simpler, smarter and smarter Android

In March 2018, Google plus released the first Developer Preview version of it AndroidP. Month after month, with the arrival of the new betaWe realized how massive this update was and what it would orinan for the entire Android platform.

Beginning of August, Google plus surprised us with the presentation of Android 9.0 Pie, which also reveals the name of the candy that gives its name to this ninth major system update, one of the most important in history. First of all, this version leads to the implementation of a renewed design philosophy called Google plus Material Theme, which promises to bring better coherence to the whole interfaz, with brighter backgrounds and maps with sharper corners, as well as the acceptance of the globe Sans product font with interfaz components even more. In addition, this style guide does not follow strict rules, but rather offers one More flexibility when developing and designing your aplicaciones.

Android 9.0 Pie, along with Lollipop, represents one of the biggest advances in Android history, starting with a complete redesign modeled after the new Google plus Material Theme.

It is also the first edition of Android that introduces a new kind of gesture navigation which we have already been able to test extensively and this leads us to assume that the buttons are almost outdated.

Under the hood we see interesting additions such as a system of Indoor positioning vía RTT Wi-Fi technologynative support for the HDR BP9 and HEIF codecs, restrictions on access to microphone, camera and sensors in background applications, compatibility with new screen formats – see screens with a “notch” – or Performance gains thanks to ART and energy savings thanks to DOZE. An API that natively supports dual-camera photography systems has also been integrated, suggesting that Pixel 3s could be the first devices in the future made by google plus with two cameras on the back.

Other new elementos appear in Android Pie Quick settings panel, quick replies to notification messages, the first native screen editor or improved volume control. A collection of new features based on artificial intelligence will also be presented, such as adaptive brightness or intelligent battery saving systems and many other innovations.

And to espectáculo that Project Treble, the architectural change introduced in Android 8, really benefits the usuario, Android 9.0 Pie, which has also reached Pixel phones, has been coincidente with seven different phones since the launch of its first public betaincluding the Essential Phone, which will be the first “non-Google plus” móvil to receive the new system update. The remaining models from manufacturers who have collaborated with Google plus, as well as those within the framework of the Android One initiative, will receive the Android 9 Pie OTA before the end of autumn 2018.

The presentation of Android 9 also led to the launch of a new edition of Android Go, the version of the operating system for teléfonos inteligentes with limited resources. This new version has a name Android 9 Pie Go Edition.

Android 10 – Privacy by flag

March 2019 came, and not to break tradition, Google plus has released the first beta of Android Q. For the first time, Mountain View decided to abandon the “Developer Preview” name for the preliminary version of the new version of the operating system and offer the update through the Android Beta program. Owners of all three generations of the Pixel family will have the opportunity to try out the latest innovations. In this way, the 2016 Pixels are the first Google plus phones to receive three major platform updates.

This new version of the operating system brings important news and changes that mainly focuses on improving usuario privacy and security granting more control the permissions given to applications, y también.g. B. Location or access to the system clipboard. There are also expected features like the dark theme – which wasn’t functional until the third beta – more customization tools, and even the first hints of a desktop mode.

Android Q has six different beta versions used from March to the third quarter of the year. It will be in August 2019 when Google plus releases the final version of the new edition of the operating system for all devices in its Pixel family.

The second Android Q beta brought the usuario a greater number of new features, and among them all the Floating notification bubbles coincidente with all aplicaciones, which offers a new way to interact with notifications while encouraging the use of multitasking by, among other things, allowing to react to messages while using other applications. Google plus worked on Refine Android’s native gesture navigationbetter ones will appear in a future issue.

However, The third beta was responsible for introducing most of the new features in the final version of Android Q. Among the most interesting was the long-awaited dark theme, which perro now be activated through the system settings and with the ability to push the new look into any application installed on the device. The gesture system has also been completely redesigned to be more intuitive and easy to use – and, kidding us, a lot more like the iPhone X -.

Android Q Beta 3 also introduced accessibility-related improvements such as: automatic generation of subtitles in any vídeo content, regardless of the application in which it was played. This version also brought improvements to the structure of the operating system with the aim of continuing the fight against fragmentation. The main one was Mainline, which is built on the same premise the platform too modulate, on which Treble was already based, and which will enable, among other things, Push security updates to phones vía the Google plus Play Store.

The heights also showed their importance in this version, since A total of 17 devices, not counting Google plus’s own Pixel, were coincidente with Android 10 Q from its third beta release.

However, the biggest surprise of this version came just a few days before the final edition was released: Google plus announced it Android Q would be Android 10and future versions of Android from there they would not have sweet and sweet namesEnd of a ten year era.

Along with this change of strategy Google plus also introduced major changes to the Android brand, which ranged from a new typography to a new logotipo that was a very different green color than what we were used to. Apparently that was the goal make Android a more universal brand. Finally, the global rollout of the update would begin on September 3, 2019, and just two weeks later, nearly 100 handsets were already confirmed with the update.

Android 11 – more protection

February 2020 saw the earliest Android preview ever Android 11 developer preview 1. This edition, originally available to be installed on Google plus Pixel 2, 3, 3a and 4, included interesting news such as the possibility Dark theme activation schedule introduced last year, or privacy and security improvements like the option on Issuance of single use permits with applications.

Android 11 brings it too Improvements for developersso that they perro work better when it comes to optimizing their applications for new emerging technologies in the telephone industry, such as 5G, folding pockets or curved screens or with holes for the front camera.

Google plus confirmed this eleventh major Android update in February It would have three pre-releases and three more betasahead of the arrival of the final stable release sometime in Summer 2020.

In June 2020, after Android 11 beta presentation event postponed Due to the global crisis and protests in the United States, Google plus has launched Android 11 beta for Pixel devices. This version focused on three main pillars: people, control and privacyand introduced such important novels as a completely revised shutdown menu, which included the controls for the devices that are part of our digital home, or quick access to maps and passes stored on Google plus Play. introduced those too Bubble notification support for all messaging aplicaciones and new access to multimedia controls built right into the quick settings panel.

On this occasion, not too many phones were coincidente with the new beta from the start, since this version could only be installed in narrow terminals such as Xiaomi, OnePlus, Realme or OPPO. Additionally, one week after the beta version arrived, [se publicaba la beta 1.5 de Android 11″, que ponía solución a algunos problemas de la versión original. Pocas semanas más tarde, se publicaba la segunda beta con algunas novedades interesantes y cambios centrados en mejorar la estabilidad de la plataforma.

Finalmente, el día 8 de septiembre de 2020, Google liberó la versión definitiva de Android 11 con todas las novedades que comenzarían a llegar a los móviles desde ese mismo día, y algunas que solo estarían disponibles en los Google Pixel.

Como novedades más interesantes de la versión definitiva, se incluyen la función de grabación de pantalla integrada en el sistema o las nuevas notificaciones de conversaciones, disponibles en una sección independiente del panel de notificaciones.

La versión final de Android 11 estuvo disponible desde el día 1 en todos los dispositivos Pixel exceptuando los modelos originales de 2016. No obstante, algunos fabricantes también anunciaron versiones beta para algunos de sus móviles de referencia. Fueron los siguientes:

• OnePlus: 8, y8 Pro
• Xiaomi: Mi 10 y Mi 10 Pro
• OPPO: Find X2, X2 Pro, Reno 3 y Reno 3 Pro
• Realme: X50 Pro

Tras su lanzamiento, ya eran 81 los modelos de móviles con la actualización a Android 11 confirmada para algún punto de 2020 o 2021. Habrá que comprobar cómo de bien logra la última versión de Android expandirse durante los meses siguiente a su lanzamiento.

Android 12 – llega Material You

Android 12, la nueva versión del sistema operativo de Google.

El día 18 de febrero de 2021, Google anunciaba Android 12. La nueva versión del sistema operativo llegaba a través de una primera versión para desarrolladores repleta de cambios, muchos de ellos escondidos.

Esta actualización trae consigo mejoras de privacidad, nuevas APIs para desarrolladores y, probablemente lo más importante de todo, un rediseño casi total de la interfaz de usuario del sistema, a través del nuevo lenguaje visual, Material You.

Con Material You, Google otorga al usuario el control sobre la apariencia de la interfaz de usuario, al generar temas de manera automática en base a los colores del fondo de pantalla establecido en el dispositivo.

“Material You”, así se llama la renovada interfaz de usuario que debuta con Android 12.

Este cambio de aspecto también introduce un nuevo panel de ajustes rápidos, controles de volumen y brillo renovados, o notificaciones rediseñadas.

Por supuesto, no faltan las mejoras de privacidad, entre ellas un nuevo panel de control desde el que poder controlar el acceso de las aplicaciones a los permisos, o donde ver qué apps han accedido a la cámara, el micrófono o la ubicación en las últimas horas. También se mejoran los widgets, y se introduce el llamado “Private Computer Core”, donde se albergan funciones como los subtítulos instantáneos, las respuestas inteligentes o la función “está sonando”, que actúan a través de procesado de información que sucede directamente en el dispositivo, y no se comunica con el exterior para preservar la privacidad de los datos.

El grueso de las funciones de Android 12 se anunciaban durante el Google I/O 2021, donde se aprovechó para lanzar la primera beta de la nueva versión, disponible para un total de 22 dispositivos diferentes de 11 marcas.

Un mes más tarde, en junio, llegaba la segunda beta de Android 12, donde por fin se introdujeron muchas de las novedades prometidas en un primer momento, entre ellas los temas dinámicos de Material You.

Fue en el mes de octubre cuando Google anunció el lanzamiento de Android 12 de forma oficial. Sin embargo, la compañía realizó un lanzamiento algo atípico, pues únicamente lanzó el código de Android 12 en AOSP, sin llegar a liberar la actualización a sus Pixel.

Desde ese momento, fabricantes como OnePlus, OPPO y Xiaomi comenzaron a ofrecer a sus usuarios la posibilidad de instalar versiones beta de Android 12.

Finalmente, el despliegue de Android 12 comenzó a partir del día 19 de octubre de 2021, llegando a los Google Pixel en primer lugar antes de dar el salto a los dispositivos del resto de fabricantes.

El futuro smartphone plegable de Google llegaría, probablemente, con Android 12L.

Cuando pensábamos que tendríamos unos cuantos meses de tranquilidad antes de la llegada de la próxima versión de Android, a finales de octubre Google anunció Android 12L, una versión incremental de Android 12, destinada a introducir cambios enfocados a mejorar la experiencia en móviles plegables o tablets, así como en otros dispositivos de pantalla grande –según la documentación oficial, aquellas con 600 dpi o más–.

Entre sus novedades más interesantes, encontramos una nueva interfaz adaptada a pantallas grandes con formato de doble columna en apartados como el panel de ajustes rápidos y notificaciones, o la inclusión de una barra de tareas inferior que facilita la apertura de varias apps de manera simultánea.

El panel de ajustes rápidos de Android 12L se adaptará a la pantalla de mayor tamaño de los móviles plegables.

Android 12 L Comienza a llegar a los dispositivos a partir de marzo de 2022, comenzando por los dispositivos de la serie Google Pixel. Más adelante, modelos como lo Galaxy Z Fold 3 o Microsoft Surface Duo 2 también actualizarán esta versión durante el 2022.

Android 13 – la última versión de Android

En febrero de 2022, sin haber avisado a nadie, Google presentó Android 13, la última gran actualización del sistema operativo. Desde ese momento, era posible descargar la primera versión previa para desarrolladores para instalar Android 13 en un móvil compatible.

Tras la gran actualización de la plataforma que supuso Android 12, Android 13 se centra, sobre todo, en introducir mejoras de seguridad y privacidad, incluyendo un nuevo menú de selección de imágenes que permite compartir contenido de una manera más segura. También se añaden cambios dirigidos a mejorar la experiencia de usuario con Material You, por ejemplo, dando soporte a iconos tematizados para apps de terceros. Otra novedad importante es la posibilidad de elegir un idioma diferente para cada aplicación, independiente del idioma del propio sistema operativo.

Puedes repasar todas las novedades de Android 13 en nuestro artículo dedicado.

Android 13 es la nueva versión del sistema, cuyo lanzamiento debería producirse en verano de este año 2022

Android 13 cuenta con un programa beta formado por cuatro versiones diferentes que da comienzo en abril y finaliza en julio. Más tarde, entre agosto y septiembre de 2022, debería llegar la versión final de Android 13 a los primeros móviles.

Junto con Android 13, también se introducen importantes novedades para la plataforma como el renacimiento de Google Wallet como un nuevo servicio en el que guardar documentos de identificación digitales, tarjetas de pago y mucho más.

La segunda versión beta de Android fue lanzada durante el Google I/O 2022, donde Google aprovechó para mostrar al mundo los principales cambios que introducirá la nueva versión. Desde ese momento, supimos cuáles serían los móviles que recibirán la actualización a Android 13.

Para concluir con la fase de pruebas públicas de Android 13, Google liberó la tercera beta en junio, y la cuarta beta de Android 12 en la segunda semana de julio. Unas tres semanas más tarde, se lanzaría la versión final de Android 13.

Los Pixel 7 fueron los primeros móviles en lanzarse al mercado con Android 13 en su interior / Imagen: Christian Collado

Por último, a mediados de agosto, Google lanzó la versión definitiva de Android 13, publicando el código de la nueva versión en el repositorio de AOSP y liberando la OTA dirigida a los smartphones de la serie Pixel.

La versión final apenas introdujo cambios con respecto a las últimas betas, de modo que los usuarios de los dispositivos Pixel que ya estaban probando la última versión, no encontraron demasiadas diferencias tras actualizar a Android 13 estable.

Actualmente, Android 13 es la última versión de Android.