AndroidGuys. Android Phone. Android (operating system) Operating system for mobile devices Linux distribution At its core, the operating system is known as the Android Open Source Project (AOSP)[3] and is free and open-source software (FOSS) primarily licensed under the Apache License. However, most devices run the proprietary Android version developed by Google, which ships with additional proprietary closed-source software pre-installed,[4] most notably Google Mobile Services (GMS),[5] which includes core apps such as Google Chrome, the digital distribution platform Google Play, and the associated Google Play Services development platform. Firebase Cloud Messaging is used for push notifications.
While AOSP is free, the "Android" name and logo are trademarks of Google, who restrict the use of Android branding on "uncertified" products.[6][7] The majority of smartphones based on AOSP run Google's ecosystem—which is known simply as Android—some with vendor-customized user interfaces and software suites,[8] for example One UI. History 2000s. Press/Media. Android Community - Tracking the Android Platform. Android Central. Robo-Phone.