Google's Mobile Browser: Android

There is one thing that is threatening the growth potential of iPhone. And that is Android, the operating system for cell phones created by the Internet colossus Google. Announced in November 2007 with over 30 partners, Android is likely to become to mobile devices what Google is to the Internet. "The obvious model Google wants to deploy is one where ads are placed on mobile phones and generate revenue," Charlie Wolf, vice president of Needham & Co., said.

What is Android?

Android is a software stack for cell phones that consists of an operating system, key applications, and middleware. Here, developers can write managed codes in a language that is Java-like, using Java libraries developed by Google. It does not handle programs that are developed in native code. The Android platform was announced along with the founding of the Open Handset Alliance. This alliance is an association composed of 34 telecom, software, and hardware companies that are committed to promoting open standards for portable devices.

Features and specifications

Google Android's web browser is based on the open-source WebKit application structure. It supports a wide range of connectivity technologies that include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, UMTS, EV-DO, GSM/EDGE, and CDMA. The Android platform can adapt to larger, VGA, 2D graphics library and 3D graphics library that is based on OpenGL ES 1.0 specifications, conventional smartphone layouts.

Android also uses the Database Software SQLite for storing data. As for messaging, available forms of messaging are MMS, SMS, and XMPP (the implementation of XMPP is based on Jive Software's Smack). It promises to handle advanced still/audio/video media formats like JPEG, PNG, GIF, AAC, AMR, MPEG-4, H.264, and MP3. In addition, it can fully utilize still/video cameras, GPS, compasses, accelerometers, accelerated 3D graphics, and touchscreens. Google's Android also comes with a plug in for the Eclipse IDE, a device emulator, performance and memory profiling, and debugging tools.

Application framework

Android's application framework simplifies the reuse of components; applications can publish their capabilities and other applications may then use those capabilities. Android has an extensible and rich set of Views utilized to create an application that includes grids, buttons, lists, boxes, text, and an embeddable Web browser. Its Content Providers allow applications to share their own data or to access data from other applications.

In addition, Android's Resource Manager provides access to non-code resources like localized strings, layout files, and graphic. Its Activity Manager is capable of managing applications' life cycle and providing a common navigation backstack. The Notification Manager allows all applications to show custom alerts in the status bar

Criticisms

Android is facing some criticisms. One major attack for this mobile browser is its not being all open-source software, contrary to what Google announced. Some parts of the Android SDK are closed source and proprietary. Additionally, installed software needs to be written in Java. This disables end-users to control their cell phones functionality. Another major issue relates to Android's noncompliance with established Java standards such as Java SE and ME.