Did you know that Android was not actually made by Google?

posted by Victor H. / Apr 20, 2014, 9:30 AM

Did you know that Android was not actually made by Google?

Android, the world’s most popular operating system, is a platform that nearly everyone would associate with Google nowadays. And that’s only natural - after all, the search giant has brought it to its global success. But did you know that Android was not conceived in the Googleplex?

In fact, it was not until 2005, a whole two years after the Android operating system was born, that Google took over the company. Interestingly, Android commenced way back in October 2003 as a platform targeting digital cameras, not phones.

A brainchild of engineer and avid robot lover Andy Rubin (hence, the name Android), in its early days, the OS was developed by just a handful of fellow engineers. The small team realized swiftly that the digital camera market is not the best fit for its effort, and changed the target to mobile phones. Rubin headed the project - he already had the experience at Danger, after all, a start-up that brought us the iconic T-Mobile Sidekick with its vintage slide-out keyboard.

The platform was already well under way until one day, a year and a half after it was started, the Android start-up ran out of money. Rubin spoke with Samsung first, but the company laughed the idea of buying nascent Android out of court, so it was a lucky day for both Android and Google when they found each other in 2005. Google took on the project, and investment in it only grew with time, so today it's easy to forget that Google did not actually start Android. Its trust in the nascent Android, however, has certainly paid off, don't you think?

FEATURED VIDEO

Options

126 Comments

2. PhoneArenaUser

Posts: 5498; Member since: Aug 05, 2011

"Did you know that Android was not actually made by Google?" Yes, I know.

posted on Apr 20, 2014, 9:35 AM 8

4. MR-H-

Posts: 116; Member since: Apr 10, 2014

"Yes we might know, but majority of Apple users don't know this,,, "

posted on Apr 20, 2014, 9:38 AM 13

7. PhoneArenaUser

Posts: 5498; Member since: Aug 05, 2011

Yes, I know that majority of them doesn't know that. :)

posted on Apr 20, 2014, 9:40 AM 4

20. xperiaDROID

Posts: 5629; Member since: Mar 08, 2013

I think majority of them don't even know that Apple is a fruit. :P

posted on Apr 20, 2014, 10:02 AM 15

29. MR-H-

Posts: 116; Member since: Apr 10, 2014

And majority of the users believe Apple is the first in inceptions....

posted on Apr 20, 2014, 10:13 AM 5

3. QuadFace

Posts: 179; Member since: Aug 19, 2013

Was made for Samsung!

posted on Apr 20, 2014, 9:38 AM 1

38. akki20892

Posts: 3902; Member since: Feb 04, 2013

Sony: Wth HTC: Wth Motorola: Wth LG: Wth Other android OEM: Wth And Google: Wth

posted on Apr 20, 2014, 10:22 AM 2

5. NokiaFTW

Posts: 2072; Member since: Oct 24, 2012

We already knew this PA. Still, thanks for the thorough information. :)

posted on Apr 20, 2014, 9:39 AM 1

6. AfterShock

Posts: 4146; Member since: Nov 02, 2012

Not everyone knows the history for sure. A refresh is always welcome for newer folks.

posted on Apr 20, 2014, 9:40 AM 6

8. PhoneArenaUser

Posts: 5498; Member since: Aug 05, 2011

True! It doesn't hurt.

posted on Apr 20, 2014, 9:42 AM 1

9. Sauce unregistered

I wonder if Samsung looks back at that poor decision a lot. Heck I would. Also reminds me of when the first iPhone 4 prototype was left at a bar and the guy called a receptionist at Apple and she literally laughed at him and hung up..

posted on Apr 20, 2014, 9:45 AM 4

47. nokia12

Posts: 610; Member since: Nov 19, 2013

why poor decision ? it turned out to be a fantastic decision for them.. think of this had samsung bought it and used it in place of bada where would it have been ? google improved it by miles and made sure that htc , and motorola used it which made it famous .. samsung was very very tiny back then..and then nokia fked up thanks to mr.flop and all the share fell into samsung hands and now they are enjoying the profits.. without google it wouldn't have been successful at all

posted on Apr 20, 2014, 10:39 AM 7

81. jroc74

Posts: 6023; Member since: Dec 30, 2010

Good points...but still I think Samsung is kicking themselves... Biggest point you made tho was we dont know how Android would have done with no Google influence and only Samsung.

posted on Apr 20, 2014, 11:51 AM 5

93. 0xFFFF

Posts: 3806; Member since: Apr 16, 2014

Google did something Samsung probably wouldn't have done -- provide an open source mobile OS to the world under reasonable licensing terms. And in doing so, ended up pushing Wintel out of mobile. Now Microsoft has gotten back in the mobile game, but their "One Windows" strategy is hardly inspiring. Many people with Windows desktops don't want Windows on their mobiles. It would give them illness. And then there is the lost child, Intel, trying to make x86 chips for mobile and largely failing. Intel's strategy has been very stupid -- help Microsoft kill the PC and then what? A wise company would only kill the old golden goose after they get a new one, not before. My guess is that without Google's strong support of Android, and making it open source, the world would likely be far worse off today. I can't imagine how expensive, dull, and stagant it would be if Apple and Wintel ruled the mobile world.

posted on Apr 20, 2014, 1:21 PM 5

120. kylehudsons

Posts: 53; Member since: Apr 04, 2012

Agree with everything you are saying but 1.... Samsung is not very very small back then... Samsung has been controlling south Korea for 2and a half generation already... with or without android I'm just gonna say that Samsung is practically a huge big ass company with or without mobile phones industry...

posted on Apr 21, 2014, 7:33 AM 1

119. express77 unregistered

They wouldnt have been as innovative as google and android wouldnt have been a success without being open source which samsung probably haven't done.

posted on Apr 21, 2014, 2:53 AM 1

12. sip1995

Posts: 1771; Member since: Feb 07, 2014

I knew it

posted on Apr 20, 2014, 9:51 AM 0

15. MR-H-

Posts: 116; Member since: Apr 10, 2014

There is a platform which has "hardly any apps and games".... which received a software update recently....?

posted on Apr 20, 2014, 9:56 AM 0

42. NokiaFTW

Posts: 2072; Member since: Oct 24, 2012

Did you know that there's a troll on PA that commented on this article who goes by the name MR-something and needs a brain?

posted on Apr 20, 2014, 10:30 AM 1

53. MR-H-

Posts: 116; Member since: Apr 10, 2014

Which I believe it's you. Another delusional user who supports the lie and BS nonsense, and does not want's to deny but still believes WP has major revolution problems. Congratulation you must love the bitter le and hate the truth. Sadly your username says NOKIAFTW, you are a fanboy which everything you say must be take as nonese and BS, as cause you are not normal but abnormal.