Introduction to Android Roms world

Android, the world's most popular mobile platform

Android powers hundreds of millions of mobile devices in more than 190 countries around the world. It's the largest installed base of any mobile platform and growing fast—every day another million users power up their Android devices for the first time and start looking for apps, games, and other digital content.

Android Growth over years

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What is the Android Rom?

Android is a Linux-based smartphone operating system and software platform created by Google. The Android ROM is the Android operating system, that make the Android device run.  This is the User interface (TouchWiz in Smasung phones) and the file system for adding contacts or sending SMS's etc.  It is composed of a Linux kernel and various add-ons to achieve specific functionality.

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What are the types of Android roms?

The most popular types of ROM's come in three different flavors:

• The Factory Images, this one provided by Google, you could find it on the Nexus phones family and lately on the Google version devices.
• The Official Rom, this ones provided by the manufacturers like Samsung, HTC, Sony and etc.
• The Custom Rom, from its name it's a customized version of the Stock or Factory Image provided by individual developers, there are many many custom roms.

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Android versions 

Android beta

The beta release of Android OS was released on 5 November 2007. The first SDK was released a week later, on 12 November 2007.

Android 1.0

Android 1.0 was the first commercially available release of the OS. It was available on the pioneering device - the T-Mobile G1 (released October 2008 in the US and the UK) along with the Android source code.

Android 1.1

Android 1.1 was pushed out on 9 February 2009, coinciding with the announcement of the HTC Dream, an internationally available twin of the T-Mobile G1.

Android 1.5 Cupcake

Android 1.5 Cupcake was released on 30 April 2009. It was the first major Android overhaul and it also was the first Android release to be pet-named after a dessert - a tradition that has been kept alive ever since. Every subsequent Android release was named after a dessert, whose name started with the next letter of the alphabet.

Android 1.6 Donut

Android 1.6 Donut was released on 15 September 2009. It added text-to-speech, updated Android Market now offered app screenshots, and it introduced support for WVGA screens. The camera became faster, and the gallery, camera and camcorder got deeply integrated with each other.

Android 2.x Eclair

Android 2.0 Eclair SDK was released on 26 October 2009. Android 2.0 introduced multiple account sync, Microsoft Exchange email support, Bluetooth 2.1, the Quick Contact feature, showing a pop-up for call, SMS and email, as soon as you tap on a contact's avatar. The camera received new features such as flash support, digital zoom, scene mode, white balance, color effect and macro focus. The web browser UI was updated and some new features were added such as double-tap to zoom.

Android 2.2.x Froyo

Android 2.2 Froyo SDK was released on 20 May 2010. Froyo brought significant performance improvements over Eclair. Storage access and applications became faster thanks to the added JIT compiler. The web browser got a speed boost too, courtesy of the new JavaScript engine.

Android 2.3.x Gingerbread

Android 2.3 Gingerbread SDK was released on 6 December 2010. This Android release offered an updated user interface and even better performance optimization.

Android 3.x Honeycomb

Android 3.0 Honeycomb SDK was released on 22 February 2011. It was Android's tablet-only version and was available concurrently with Android Gingerbread for phones.

Android 4.0.x Ice Cream Sandwich

The Android 4.0.x Ice Cream Sandwich SDK was released on 19 October 2011.

Android ICS was released along with the Google Galaxy Nexus (November 2011) - the next successor in the popular Nexus lineup.

Android 4.1.x Jelly Bean

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean SDK was released on 9 July 2012. A new version 4.2 was released later on under the same Jelly Bean moniker.

Android 4.2.x Jelly Bean

Android 4.2 Jelly Bean builds on the foundations of 4.1 Jelly Bean and adds many new features. There is now support for multiple user accounts on tablets, native settings shortcuts in the notifications pane, gesture typing (ala Swype), wireless screen streaming via Wi-Fi Direct (over the Miracast protocol), widgets on the lockscreen, support for USB audio docks, redesigned camera app with HDR mode, Photo Sphere capturing and a built-in editor with filters, as well as further stability improvement.

Android 4.3 Jelly Bean

Google announced Android Jelly Bean 4.3 in July 2013. Along with the announcement, Google also unveiled the 2nd generation Nexus 7 tablet, which was the first device to ship with Android 4.3 out of the box.

Android 4.4 Kit Kat

Rumored to be called "Key Lime Pie", the next version of Android was announced on 3 September 2013 under the name KitKat (with the endorsement of Nestle).

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