Android

https://www.android.com/what-is-android

What is Android?

The platform changing what mobile can do. When a device goes from just working to actually making life easier, Android is behind it. It’s the reason your GPS avoids traffic, your watch can text and your Assistant can answer questions. It’s the operating system inside 2.5 billion active devices. Everything from 5G phones to stunning tablets, Android powers them all.

Android is open to everyone: developers, designers and device makers. That means more people can experiment, imagine and create things the world has never seen.

When you have Android, you have security that’s right there out of the box and never stops working. Google Play Protect scans all your apps, the software gets regular security updates and the platform is always improving. It’s like a security guard that never takes a break, a nap or a vacation.

On Android, you get to decide when and if your data is shared, like your Web & App Activity or Location History. If an app accesses your location while you are not using it, you’ll get a notification. And if you ever want to change permissions, all your Privacy settings are in one place. It’s privacy, with you in the driver’s seat.

With Digital Wellbeing, you get the tools to understand how you use your phone and decide what works for you. Whether that means unplugging, cutting down distractions or just winding down before bed.

The dashboard is a great example. It gives you a snapshot of your screen time, notifications, how often you unlock your phone and more. And it’s just one of the many tools you get with Digital Wellbeing.

Everyone has their own way of using their devices. That’s why we build accessible features and products that work for the various ways people want to experience the world. Screen readers, sound mufflers, even AR walking guides. Because when it comes to technology, there’s no one-size-fits all.

Platform codenames, versions, API levels, and NDK releases

This table lists codenames, their corresponding version numbers, and associated API levels. (source table from https://source.android.com)

Codename
Version
API level/NDK release

Android12

12

API level 31

Android11

11

API level 30

Android10

10

API level 29

Pie

9

API level 28

Oreo

8.1.0

API level 27

Oreo

8.0.0

API level 26

Nougat

7.1

API level 25

Nougat

7.0

API level 24

Marshmallow

6.0

API level 23

Lollipop

5.1

API level 22

Lollipop

5.0

API level 21

KitKat

4.4 - 4.4.4

API level 19

Jelly Bean

4.3.x

API level 18

Jelly Bean

4.2.x

API level 17

Jelly Bean

4.1.x

API level 16

Ice Cream Sandwich

4.0.3 - 4.0.4

API level 15, NDK 8

Ice Cream Sandwich

4.0.1 - 4.0.2

API level 14, NDK 7

Honeycomb

3.2.x

API level 13

Honeycomb

3.1

API level 12, NDK 6

Honeycomb

3.0

API level 11

Gingerbread

2.3.3 - 2.3.7

API level 10

Gingerbread

2.3 - 2.3.2

API level 9, NDK 5

Froyo

2.2.x

API level 8, NDK 4

Eclair

2.1

API level 7, NDK 3

Eclair

2.0.1

API level 6

Eclair

2.0

API level 5

Donut

1.6

API level 4, NDK 2

Cupcake

1.5

API level 3, NDK 1

(no codename)

1.1

API level 2

(no codename)

1.0

API level 1

Last updated

Was this helpful?