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Line 67: − + − *[http://www.android.com/market/ Google Android Market]+ − − *[http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/phones/Cell-Phone-Detail.aspx?cell-phone=T-Mobile-G1-with-Google-Black HTC Dream T-Mobile G1 Google Phone] − *[http://www.htc.com HTC Homepage]
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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>
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?"<br />
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><br />
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">https://www.androidauthority.com/how-does-google-make-money-from-android-669008/</ref>
===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">https://www.androidauthority.com/how-does-google-make-money-from-android-669008/</ref><br />
Additionally, the Play Store offers music, movies, and books, for a fee.<ref name="androidauthority.com make money">https://www.androidauthority.com/how-does-google-make-money-from-android-669008/</ref>
===More===
Google has also been using personal data from Android devices to improve ad targeting,<ref name="androidauthority.com make money">https://www.androidauthority.com/how-does-google-make-money-from-android-669008/</ref> 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==
==Versions==
==External links==
==External links==
*[http://code.google.com/android/ Google Android Homepage]
*[https://www.android.com Google Android Homepage]
*[https://www.openhandsetalliance.com Open Handset Alliance]
*[http://www.openhandsetalliance.com/ Open Handset Alliance]
[[Category:Google]]
[[Category:Google]]
[[Category:Mobile Operating Systems]]
[[Category:Mobile Operating Systems]]
[[Category:Open Source]]
[[Category:Open Source]]