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Smartphone

2021-01-29T21:56:19Z

Hanio: /* Problems */+ Planned obsolescence

[[File:IPhone 7 Jet Black.svg.png|thumbnail|100px|iPhone 7]]
[[File:Iphone 3GS-1.jpg|100px|thumbnail|The iPhone 3s, an older smartphone by today's standards]]
A '''Smartphone''' is a kind of [[cellular phone]] serves not only to process phone calls and text messages, but also browse the [[Internet]], send and receive E-mail, and perform a variety of other tasks, often using third-party programs (called "apps"). Smartphones essentially combine handheld computers with cell phones in functionality.

==Evolution==
Since telephones have gone wireless, the have continued to improve. What was once contained in a backpack became something that could fit in a large pocket and used repeaters. They continued to shrink until sleek phones existed which were little larger than a pack of cigarets. No longer was an extendable antenna used, either, since cellular phone towers were placed more conveniently and radios become more efficient and powerful. Then in the 21st century, this trend seemed to reverse itself—cellular phones started getting larger again. 
The technology was not devolving, however; instead, it was merging. Along with cellular phones has existed handheld computers/PDAs, tablets, cameras, and media players. Five devices were being combined into one, but considering this significant change, the size only increased slightly. In 2007, [[Apple Inc.]] released what would soon become the smartphone standard—the [[iPhone]]. Although it had problems, it quickly became popular.<ref>https://www.cnet.com/news/when-iphone-met-world-7-years-ago-today/</ref> Some smartphones were lost completely in the rush, including PalmPilot, while others began making significant completion for Apple. regardless, Apple has continued to improve their smartphones, and other companies have yet to steal the market.

==Definition==
[[File:Flip phones.jpg|200px|thumbnail|In some cases, it's easier to tell what is ''not'' a smartphone than to tell what ''is'']]
Generically, a smartphone is a cellular telephone which has the ability to perform additional software functions.<ref>https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smartphone</ref> Beyond this, there is no clearly defined criteria for a smartphone, but in general, the following are expected from one:
*Multitasking - The phone should be able to have multiple programs and functions running simultaneously.
*Internet access - even if the service provider does not allow Internet access, the phone should be able to use it.
*Third-party "app" support - The user should be able to install programs of their choice onto the phone.

In some cases, though, phones support some but not all of these features. When there is some question about this, most people decide based on multitasking, but such a decision could be disputed. Others just say that if the [[operating system]] has a name, it must be a smartphone. While this latter method is rather crude, it is usually accurate.

==Smartphone Brands==
===Currently popular===
*[[iPhone]] by Apple Inc.
*[[Android]] by [[Google]]
*Windows Mobile by [[Microsoft]]

===Formerly popular===
*[[Blackberry (phone)|Blackberry]]
*PalmPilot/Palm OS

==Problems==
As with any new technology, smartphones have not been without problems. Not only have the systems sometimes had stability issues, but also the hardware and external factors have made some progress difficult.

===Hardware===
When making a smartphone, the focus is almost always on size—either that of the phone as a whole, or that of the screen it possesses. However, components can only be made so small. Additionally, the smaller theses parts are, the more fragile they often become. 
Another problem is power. The more equipment a phone uses, the more power it will tend to consume. When a smartphone is designed to be small, it is difficult to supply it with a battery that will hold enough power for the phone to be practical. When small, high-voltage batteries are used, they also tend to wear out quickly, requiring more frequent charging. While motion and inductive charging methods are options being studied,<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/03/technology/building-a-better-battery.html</ref> these methods have proven largely ineffective so far. For these to work, the phone would need to be moved around much more that it ordinarily would be, or a large induction coil must be attached to gather any significant power from the surroundings. While these strategies may be a part of the future, smartphones currently require a certain irreducible size of chemical battery.

In addition, the vast majority of mobile phones released in the latter half of the 2010s are designed in a way that denies users the ability to replace its battery, which is the component with the shortest life span, making it a form of [[planned obsolescence]].

===External===
There are a variety of external factors that negatively effect smartphone progress as well. Terrain is one such factor, since it can interfere with communication. As a result, the phone's transceiver must be larger and more powerful than a flat landscape would require. 
Another much greater external threat is that of malicious people and software. Now that external software may be installed, and the unrestricted Internet is able to access these phones, there is a significant security risk. For many people, a smartphone contains all the details of their life. It must, therefore, be secure. This consideration has been the driving force behind a myriad of choices in development. Even with these security considerations, information from smartphones is still often lost through malware, hacking, or physical theft. 
Sometimes partly due to certain serious external issues, there are also occasionally detached problems which should have been detected and fixed but were not.<ref>https://money.cnn.com/2015/05/27/technology/iphone-text-message-hack/index.html</ref> As development continues, the public can only hope that these issues will also be caught, even though the focus is often elsewhere.

===System similarity===
It can be very convenient to have a phone system which is very similar to the computer system people generally use. Apple Inc. has gone a long way in this direction, making their iMac, iPhone, iPod, iPad, and all other devices use very similar systems. This enables the user to learn just one basic layout in order to use any Apple device. Windows took steps in this direction as well, with their [[Windows 8]] [[operating system]]. This was designed to work on both desktops and touchscreen mobile devices such as smartphones. There are two main problems with this strategy, only one of which is external.
#Similar systems are only convenient for most when the systems are practical and easy-to-use on all devices. Apple has done a pretty good job of doing this, but Microsoft was not so successful. In the end, Windows 8 did not sell very well, and they had to rush to fix a few of their mistakes (with [[Windows 8.1]]).
#Similar systems tend to have similar vulnerabilities. While an infected Blackberry smartphone would probably be unable to infect a Windows computer (unless the malware were designed to use use Blackberry as a vector to attack Windows), an infected Windows Mobile system would have an easier time of infecting a Windows computer when they are connected. Apple devices have the same issue, if not more so, since their systems are so similar and interconnected. If an infected application is installed on an iPhone, it can then spread to an iMac next time it is connected. Then if an iPod is connected to the laptop, it can become infected. If a smart watch is connected to the iPhone, it also could become infected. Some unfortunate people have lost their identities in this manner, because in a single stroke, the person's entire digital life can be taken using this method.

==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Cell Phones]]
[[Category:Smart Phone]]

Google Android

2021-01-29T21:25:51Z

Hanio: /* Versions */ Android 11 is out now.

'''Google Android''' is an open source [[operating system]] based on [[GNU/Linux]], developed for use on mobile cell phones and tablets and is a joint effort of the [[Open Handset Alliance]] and [[Google]]. Anybody can create applications using the Android Software Development kit and Google has held contests for best applications. Many applications can be freely downloaded through the online Android Market and other online repositories.

[[Image:G1 dec182008 029.jpg|bottom|thumb|250px| Google Android G1 HTC Dream Phone]]

HTC, a smartphone manufacturer based in [[Taiwan]], was the first to market a [[Google]] Android phone in the [[United States]], called the HTC Dream. October 2008 was its launch date on the T-Mobile network, the only carrier offering the service. Branded by Google and marketed as the G1, it was a 3G phone which was Wi-fi capable. Smartphones using the Android operating system have gained a reputation as an [[Apple]] iPhone competitor. Many more Android phones have been developed since then, with large companies such as Samsung investing a great deal into the development and marketing of such devices.

==Netbooks/Tablets==
The Android operating system is also preinstalled in some netbooks and tablets. In fact, Android 3.0 was specifically designed for tablets.<ref>[http://developer.android.com/sdk/android-3.0-highlights.html]</ref> Since then, it has branched out to many tablets, smart TVs, smart watches, and smart home devices.

==3rd Party Builds==
Several projects have taken Android off the phone and have converted it for desktop computers, referred to as [[Android x86]]. Former Google engineers based in China have created a multitasking version called Remix OS by Jide. Also, Phoenix OS by Beijing Chaozhuo Technology Co. Both versions are based on Lollipop 5.1.1 and were of course provided free of charge.

==Spyware/Privacy Concerns==
The Google Play store app (formerly "Google Market") is the most popular way to install new applications on Android. Some of these uploaded applications have been [[spyware]].<ref>[http://news.yahoo.com/s/pcworld/20110228/tc_pcworld/moremobilespywarehitsandroid_1]</ref> In response to apps like this, Google has enabled the "killswitch", which allows Google Play to uninstall, or even install programs on the user's device, to fix the offending apps. While many have applauded this as a good anti-malware procedure, many have also expressed concern over Google's ability to install and remove software on all phones through the Google Play system.<ref>[http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/06/google-flips-android-kill-switch-destroys-a-batch-of-malicious/]</ref>

More vulnerabilities have been found in the Google Play system, which allowed installing software simply by clicking a malicious link. According to Chief Technology Officer Kevin Mahaffey, "When the malware gets on your phone it basically issues a blank check for additional apps to be downloaded"<ref>http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-20040246-245.html</ref>

Other vulnerabilities have been found to exist from time to time, such as an issue called Quadrooter which was discovered in August 2016, which proved a serious security threat to hundreds of millions of devices.<ref>https://www.cnbc.com/2016/08/08/a-new-flaw-shows-android-security-is-still-a-patchwork-mess.html</ref>

==Monetization==
The Android OS is released by Google as open source software, at no cost. This means that it has become the OS of choice for many different devices. However, Google is a for-profit company, and it invests a significant amount of money into developing and maintaining Android. This leads to the obvious question of "what do they get out of it?" 
Google has been very quiet in regard to how much they make from the Android OS. However, in a lengthy lawsuit against Google (starting in 2010, and continuing for over five years),<ref>https://www.androidauthority.com/supreme-court-rejects-googles-appeal-621256/</ref> [[Oracle Corporation|Oracle]] stated officially estimated that Google made $31 billion in revenue, $22 billion of which was profit, since 2008. This estimate was based on documents which Google provided in the course of legal proceedings, although they were seeking a monetary settlement, so a high estimate would be in their favor. However, Google did not contest this number.<ref name="androidauthority.com make money">https://www.androidauthority.com/how-does-google-make-money-from-android-669008/</ref> 
Google remains secretive about how much money they earn in what ways, but there are several apparent sources.

===Mobile advertising===
advertisements are shown when users search for applications in the Play Store, perform web searches (using Google search, which is the default) and more. Additionally, some applications are ad-supported, meaning that they display Google's ads in-app. These are ads which publishers are paying Google directly to display.<ref name="androidauthority.com make money"/>

===Play store===
Containing over 1.5 million applications, the Play Store certainly has a wide variety of apps to choose from. Many of these are offered for "free," although they are often ad-supported, as stated above (others farm user data). However, any application which the user buys, delivers a cut of the sale to Google. In fact, 30% of the sale price is taken by Google. In 2014, for example, Google made about $3 billion from Play Store sales.<ref name="androidauthority.com make money"/> 
Additionally, the Play Store offers music, movies, and books, for a fee.<ref name="androidauthority.com make money"/>

===More===
Google has also been using personal data from Android devices to improve ad targeting,<ref name="androidauthority.com make money"/> aid law enforcement (through their Sensorvault database, which tracks user location),<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/13/technology/google-sensorvault-location-tracking.html</ref> and probably more.

===Other possibilities===
Google as a whole also sells some personal user data, so it is conceivable (though not known specifically) that some user data may be sold. Android is designed to push people to use Google's basic set of services ([[gmail]], Google Drive, Google calendar, etc.) which gather private data, and also upload their complete contact lists, which are very valuable for marketing purposes. The native contact list application also suggests that users attach a photograph of each person to their contact entry. This could (if Google chose to do so) be used for facial recognition purposes. Many people keep a great deal of private information on their phones, and Google's business is based on the collection, use, and sale of private information. However, as an open source tool, the community is likely to take notice if Google takes this too far.

==Versions==
Android is named after desserts. Version history of Android builds:
*[[Android 1.0]] (unnamed)
*[[Android 1.5 (cupcake)]]
*[[Android 1.6 (donut)]]
*[[Android 2.0 (éclair)]]
*[[Android 2.2.x (Froyo)]]
*[[Android 2.3.x (Gingerbread)]]
*[[Android 3.x (Honeycomb)]]
*[[Android 4.x (Ice Cream Sandwich)]]
*[[Android 4.1.x (Jelly Bean)]]
*[[Android 4.4.x (KitKat)]]
*[[Android 5.x (Lollipop)]]
*[[Android 6.x (Marshmallow)]]
*Android 7.x (Nougat)
*Android 8.0 (Oreo)
*Android 9.0 (Pie)
*Android 10
*Android 11

==See also==
* [[iPhone]]-[[iPad]] with [[iOS]]
* [[Blackberry (phone)]]
* [[Google]]
* [[Tails operating system]] and [[Tor browser]]
* [[Linux]]
* [[Ubuntu]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.android.com Google Android Homepage]
*[https://www.openhandsetalliance.com Open Handset Alliance]

[[Category:Google]]
[[Category:Mobile Operating Systems]]
[[Category:Open Source]]