Android is the name of the Linux-based operating system that runs on mobile phones. (smartphones), netbooks and tablets. It is developed by the Open Handset Alliance, an alliance between several companies, including Google.
The functioning of Android is identical to other operating systems (such as Windows, Mac OS, Ubuntu, among others), whose function is to manage all the processes of applications and hardware of a computer so that they work perfectly.
The difference is that Android was driven by Google to be operated on their own mobile devices and thus enter the competition with other dominant operating systems such as Symbian (Nokia devices), iOS (Apple devices such as iPhone) and Blackberry OS.
One of the main advantages of the Android system is the integration of Google services from a Google account that the user already has. Another great advantage is the Android Market, the official app store, which offers a multitude of free apps.
The first cell phone to run the Android system was the T-Mobile G1 (HTC Dream), manufactured by Google, together with HTC, in 2008.
In 2010, the company Google, in partnership with Samsung, launched the Nexus series, with models Nexus One, Nexus S and Galaxy Nexus.