Android: Over One Billion Served

Its no small feat when a company reaches the one billion mark in units sold

. So Android reaching a coveted one billion applications downloaded early in 2010 should be appreciated in its own right. Even more astonishing is the fact that Android reached the mark in under two years time, and in a market place dominated by super competitors RIM and Apple.

The first phone to run off the Android platform was made by HTC and released in October of 2008. Early Android App Development was limited and largely confined to developers within the Google family. It wasnt until 2009 that Google decided to release the first official software developer kit for the Android platform dubbed version 1.1. A beta version did exist for testing and development in late 2008.

Despite the newness of the Android third party developers have jumped at the opportunity to create applications for the Android. In 2008 Android parent company Google announced a contest for would be developers to come up with the best new Android application. The contest, dubbed the Android Developer Challenge, took place after Google narrowed the intial entries to the fifty most promising new application ideas. Google offered $25,000 to each team to further development, and ultimately awarded prizes in the amounts of $275,000 and $100,000 respectively to the top twenty developers.

The contest affirmed Googles commitment to the Android development scene and solidified interest in the Android platform from budding developers. As such many development companies quickly turned their attention towards creating Android specific applications or adapting existing popular software applications to become Android compatible.

The overwhelming positive response to the Android platform even prompted parent company Google to release a App Inventor program directed at novice programmers recently, in July 2010. However, it should be cautioned that Android Apps Development should be left to the professionals.

Android applications cross a variety of categories from gaming, to travel, to business and so on. Where RIM and Blackberry has traditionally had a stronghold on the business segment of the smart phone movement, Android is quickly becoming a viable option for more adventurous and open companies look to combine functionality with flexibility.

There are a number of design and development companies who specialize in creating content for the Android. Sourcebits.com has developed some of the leading Android applications already on the market and is available to application inventors and creators for Android Development. Whether you have an idea for a great new mobile game or a must have business application, the java applet and open forum platform associated with Android phones means your idea could easily become the next big thing in the world of mobile device applications.

In both Q1 and Q2 of 2010 Android outgained both Apple and RIM in market share, and is poised to potentially take control of the market altogether in the coming year. Although a relatively young technology, Android has taken the mobile marketplace by force and is giving the Big Two in the world of mobile devices a serious run for their money, and giving developers a welcomed change of pace.

by: Cin Rupp

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