Can Linux-based phone go mainstream? Yes, we are talking about open source platform of Android OS. Google’s Android is the first Linux-based software for mobile devices. Some people say, Android can be the killer of any smartphone. Others say, it is just another failed attempt at taking Linux mainstream on a mobile phone.
We have seen, iPhone has been big for the past couple of years. Blackberry is also a steady staple among business users; although Blackberry is facing hard challenge from iPhone as the mobile market has been impacted by iPhone. There is an impassioned debate both two market leading devices. But the question is where does the scenario leave new comer Android?
Android runs atop Linux Kernel with a layered subsystem providing core computing services. Process and memory management are provided by Linux. The web browser available in Android is based on the open-source WebKit application framework. At the same time it is also popular among developers as its Plug in – Tools that provide a host of helpful tools for aiding the development and debugging of Android applications. It’s by far the easiest platform to do OS level changes. The popularity of the Operating System is growing by leaps and bounds.
The popularity of Android has no doubt grown very quickly in uptime months. If we find the analysis of ChangeWave in December, 2009, 4% of users are using a smartphone with Android which is a 3pt jump since their survey in September. The figure is significant, because it is a marked increase of 200% compared to the previous month of September.
The Android mobile software has a chance of dethroning other smartphones but it will take time, effort, ingenuity, and a mountain of Google cash to make it happen. Bur from the developer’s point, we can say, Android is platform that deserve to stay.
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