Android OS Main Features and Drawbacks Explained

1.0 WHAT IS ANDROID?

Android OS may be a Linux-based mobile OS that primarily runs on smartphones and tablets developed by Google (GOOGL). The Android platform includes an OS based upon the Linux kernel, a GUI, an internet browser, and end-user applications which will be downloaded.

Although the initial demonstrations of Android featured a generic QWERTY Smartphone and enormous VGA screen, the OS was written to run on relatively inexpensive handsets with conventional numeric keypads. Android was released under the Apache v2 open source license;

This enables several variations of the OS to be developed for other devices, like gaming consoles and digital cameras. Google also employs Android software in televisions, cars, and wristwatches—each of which is fitted with a singular interface.

Android is predicated on open-source software, but most Android devices come preinstalled with a set of proprietary software, like Google Maps, YouTube, Google Chrome, and Gmail. Android logo Its main elements contains a quadrangular torso, semicircular head with two antennas thereon, and limbs presented by bars with rounded ends. It’s said to symbolize a male robot

2.0. SHORT HISTORY

The Android OS was first developed by Android, Inc., a software company located in Silicon Valley before Google acquired it in 2005.

Investors and industry analysts have questioned Google’s true intentions for entering the mobile market space since that acquisition. But in any case, soon thereafter, Google announced the approaching rollout of its first commercially available Android-powered device in 2007, although that product actually hit the marketplace in 2008.

Since then, software and application developers are ready to use Android technology to develop mobile apps, which are sold through app stores, like Google Play. and since it’s developed as a Google product, Android users are given the chance to link their mobile devices to other Google products, like cloud storage, email platforms, and video services.

The Android ASCII text file is released in an open-source format to assist advance open standards across mobile devices. However, despite being released as “open,” Android remains packaged with proprietary software when sold on handset devices. consistent with research from Trend Micro, premium service abuse is that the commonest sort of Android malware, during which text messages are sent from infected phones to premium-rate telephone numbers with neither the knowledge nor the consent of the user.

2.0. Unique features of android

These are the key selling points for android over other OS

i) Near Field Communication (NFC)

It is the short-range wireless connectivity. it’s supported by several Android devices. It permits electronic devices to speak quickly across short distances. the most aim of NFC is to perform the payment option quickly than carrying cash and cards.

ii) Alternate Keyboards

Android supports several keyboards and can be conveniently enabled. The Swift Key, Skype, and 8pen apps will easily adjust the style of the keyboard. In other mobile devices, the OS does not make an extra keyboard.

iii) Infrared Transmission

An integrated infrared transmitter can be supported by an Android operating system. It allows the phone or tablet to be used as a remote control unit.

iv) No-Touch Control

Wave Control is an application that is used on Android phones that can control phone calls, audio, and videos by waving a hand over the phone. And here you don’t need a touch.

v) Battery Swap and Storage

Android phones retain individual hardware capabilities. Google’s OS makes it easy to move and boost the battery that does not carry a charge for an extended period of time. Android phones have SD card slots for expandable storage.

vi) Widgets Apps

They’re versatile, so often we need data at a glance instead of having to open an app and wait for it to launch. Android widgets let you see weather apps, music, and even inform you of upcoming meetings or deadlines by posting on the computer.

vii) Custom ROMs

Android is an open-source framework. Developers can uninstall the current OS and develop their versions, which users can update and install instead of the stock OS. Some are crammed with papers, while others alter the appearance and texture of the unit. Android also gives a host of options that are not found in competing smartphone operating systems.

3.0 Limitations of the Android Operating System

i) Defects in Apps and Play Store

Not all of the applications available in the store are compatible with different tiers or ranges of Android phones. Although there are many free download applications, they appear to be filled with publicity materials and commercials, rendering the user interface jarring and invasive. App-crashing or forced shutdown could be the rule for Android smartphones, and stunning Android phone users have now come to this error.

ii) Device Defects

Overheating may be a common issue with Android phones, especially when playing games loaded with heavy graphics or while indulging in hardcore productivity tasks. The overheating tends to be more prevalent during summers than winters. The heating issue not just mars user experience and handling, but it also hurts the phone’s battery life. Android may be a very heavy OS and most apps tend to run within the background even when closed by the user.

This eats up battery power even more. As a result, the phone invariably finishes up failing the battery life estimates given by the manufacturers. Storage is additionally a problem , with most phones having minimal internal storage. Consequently, storing large apps, videos and files becomes a problem . Adding a micro SD card are often how out, but that move can hamper the phone’s speed. no matter the high-end specifications and model, Android phones are susceptible to lag because the ecosystem isn’t streamlined and integrated. Data safety is another problem and therefore the fear of losing data forever always hovers over users.

While there are several apps that help backup data, none are tight-knit into the OS. thanks to cache buildup , the phone’s operational speed and knowledge can reduce and cause severe lags. Some phones tend to drastically lose efficiency if dozens of apps are installed. The phone’s efficiency is sure to take successful as multiple programs run simultaneously within the background at any given time.

iii) System Defects

Although seamless data connection is not any longer a far cry on mobile phones, Android devices need uninterrupted Internet supply for its efficient functioning. Google is behind Android and therefore the plethora of Google services on offer almost mandates seamless Internet connection.

While the various Google apps and services are quite useful, they’re also very vulnerable to hackers and their notorious plans. As a result, these applications get infected even before they get publicly released. In other words, most of the apps on the Play Store are plagued with malware.

The Android app store is hospitable every publisher. It’s easier to urge apps published within the Play Store because the space isn’t continuously monitored. Therefore, most Android apps are half-baked and also not malware-proof. This nullifies any innovativeness the apps need to offer.

Android’s stability and reliability takes successful thanks to the very fact that there are several dozens of Android phones with varying specifications and hardware components. As a result, there arises the shortage of compatibility between the OS and its hardware partners. While Android’s open-source nature makes it easy to customize any Android device, an equivalent aspect also seems to be a negative trait as hackers don’t need to bang their heads for hours together to urge through the system and play spoilsport.

Fragmentation – Google’s Android mobile OS is fragmented, meaning not all Android phones run an equivalent version of the OS . as an example , Gingerbread, or Android 2.3 took nearly six months for it to be adopted by all Android devices. This was all courtesy Android’s fragmented character. Android OS is decentralized, or there’s no apex administration since the particular versions running on third-party devices are customized.

This leads to lack of support or assistance for users during glitches or grievances. Some updates concerning apps and therefore the OS may happen by themselves, without seeking the consent of the user. this will hog up unnecessary memory space. Android phones don’t give administrator rights to its users. In other words, the device user cannot directly control what happens on the device, making one feel disconnected with the phone.

NB: Although Android gives consumers a feasible alternative to other smartphone operating systems, a range of shortcomings remain. On the developer side, the coding of dynamic user experiences and implementations is always a daunting job, requiring greater emphasis on Java than Objective-C. For consumers, applications on the Android Market tend to have weaker expectations than equivalent app stores. In other words, systems with poorer security profiles which make users more vulnerable to data breaches. Meanwhile, Android ‘s strong reliance on ads is likely to repel some users