Version history by API level
Android beta
The Android
beta was released on 5 November 2007,
[4][5] while the
software development kit (SDK) was released on 12 November 2007.
[6]
Android 1.0
Android 1.0, the first commercial version of the software, was released on 23 September 2008.
[7] The first Android device, the
HTC Dream,
[8] incorporated the following Android 1.0 features:
Android 1.1
On 9 February 2009, the Android 1.1 update was released, initially for the HTC Dream only. Android 1.1 was known as "
Petit Four" internally, though this name was not used officially.
[15] The update resolved, changed the Android
API and added a number of features:
[16]
Android 1.5 Cupcake
On 30 April 2009, the Android 1.5 update was released, based on
Linux kernel 2.6.27.
[17][18]
This was the first release to officially use a name based on a dessert
("Cupcake"), a theme which would be used for all releases henceforth.
The update included several new features and UI amendments:
[19]
Android 1.6 Donut
On 15 September 2009, the Android 1.6 SDK – dubbed Donut – was released, based on Linux kernel 2.6.29.
[21][22][23] Included in the update were numerous new features:
[21]
Android 2.0/2.1 Eclair
On 26 October 2009, the Android 2.0 SDK – codenamed Eclair – was released, based on Linux kernel 2.6.29.
[24] Changes included:
[25]
Android 2.2.x Froyo
On 20 May 2010, Android 2.2 (Froyo, short for Frozen Yogurt) SDK was released, based on Linux kernel 2.6.32.
[29]
Android 2.3.x Gingerbread
On 6 December 2010, the Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) SDK was released, based on Linux kernel 2.6.35.
[36][37] Changes included:
[36]
| Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread |
Android 3.x Honeycomb
On 22 February 2011, the Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) SDK – the first
tablet-only Android update – was released, based on Linux kernel 2.6.36.
[46][47][48][49] The first device featuring this version, the
Motorola Xoom tablet, was released on 24 February 2011.
[50] The update's features included:
[46]
Android 4.0.x Ice Cream Sandwich
The SDK for Android 4.0.1 (Ice Cream Sandwich), based on Linux kernel 3.0.1,
[56] was publicly released on 19 October 2011.
[57]
Google's Gabe Cohen stated that Android 4.0 was "theoretically
compatible" with any Android 2.3.x device in production at that time.
[58] The
source code for Android 4.0 became available on 14 November 2011.
[59] The update introduced numerous new features, including:
[60][61][62]
| Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich |
| Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich |
Android 4.1/4.2 Jelly Bean
Google announced Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) at the
Google I/O
conference on 27 June 2012. Based on Linux kernel 3.0.31, Jelly Bean
was an incremental update with the primary aim of improving the
functionality and performance of the user interface. The performance
improvement involved "Project Butter", which uses touch anticipation,
triple buffering, extended
vsync timing and a fixed frame rate of 60
fps to create a fluid and "buttery-smooth" UI.
[71] Android 4.1 Jelly Bean was released to the
Android Open Source Project on 9 July 2012,
[72] and the
Nexus 7 tablet, the first device to run Jelly Bean, was released on 13 July 2012.
[73]
Google was expected to announce Jelly Bean 4.2 at an event in
New York City on 29 October 2012, but the event was cancelled due to
Hurricane Sandy.
[74]
Instead of rescheduling the live event, Google announced the new
version with a press release, under the slogan "A new flavor of Jelly
Bean". The first devices to run Android 4.2 were
LG's
Nexus 4 and
Samsung's
Nexus 10, which were released on 13 November 2012.
[3][75]
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_version_history
