Android is the name of the Linux based operating system that is backed by Google and the other members of the Open Handset Alliance. Because of Android's open source nature, Android based smartphones should be cheaper to produce than those that use operating systems, such as Microsoft's Windows Mobile, that require a royalty fee be paid for each use. The T-Mobile G1, announced on September 23, 2008, was the first Android OS smartphone to be officially introduced to the market.

Also known as: "Android OS"