{"id":8567,"date":"2019-02-16T15:24:08","date_gmt":"2019-02-16T20:24:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digital.hbs.edu\/platform-digit\/submission\/android-not-your-basic-operating-system\/"},"modified":"2019-02-18T11:43:48","modified_gmt":"2019-02-18T16:43:48","slug":"android-not-just-an-operating-system","status":"publish","type":"hck-submission","link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-digit\/submission\/android-not-just-an-operating-system\/","title":{"rendered":"Android, Not Just an Operating System"},"content":{"rendered":"

Android is the largest mobile operating system in the world. Moreover, as part of Google, Android was able to become one the world\u2019s top innovative platforms. (1,2)<\/p>\n

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BCG’s 2018 Most Innovative Companies [3]<\/figcaption><\/figure>It\u2019s hard to believe that mainstream smartphones we know today- an essential part of our lives- emerged only a decade ago with the introduction of Apple\u2019s iPhone. [4] To catch up, Google had to respond quickly. Google\u2019s Android did the unthinkable at the time and created a free open-source operating system that allowed developers to build and even choose the operating system for their apps. Before then, open source operating systems were thought of as ones with no \u2018real\u2019 platform owner, rather different companies who each contribute individually to increase user demand to a software product. By enabling manufacturers and developers to contribute and play an integral part of its success, Android changed the game for the service layer and therefore for the entire mobile industry. [5]<\/p>\n

Android was built based on a number of design principles which allowed it to expand to numerous use-cases. Among these were: being customer centric both in B2B and B2C aspects, agile operating when making resource allocation decisions with short implementation & response times and lastly, empowering yet monitoring performance & cross functional collaborations. [6]<\/p>\n

Since then, Android made several key decisions that enabled it to become the innovation platform we know today.<\/em><\/p>\n