Android version history

Global Android version distribution since December 2009. As of March 2014, Android 4.x Jelly Bean is the most widely used Android version, operating on around 62% of Android devices worldwide.

The version history of the Android mobile operating system began with the release of the Android beta in November 2007. The first commercial version, Android 1.0, was released in September 2008. Android is under ongoing development by Google and the Open Handset Alliance (OHA), and has seen a number of updates to its base operating system since its initial release.

Since April 2009, Android versions have been developed under a confectionery-themed code name and released in alphabetical order: Cupcake (1.5), Donut (1.6), Eclair (2.0–2.1), Froyo (2.2–2.2.3), Gingerbread (2.3–2.3.7), Honeycomb (3.0–3.2.6), Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0–4.0.4), Jelly Bean (4.1–4.3), and KitKat (4.4–4.4.2). On 3 September 2013, Google announced that 1 billion activated devices now use the Android OS worldwide.^[1] The most recent major Android update was KitKat 4.4, which was released to commercial devices on 22 November 2013, via an OTA update.^[2][3]

Contents

• 1 Pre-commercial release versions (2007–2008)
• 1.1 Android alpha
• 1.2 Android beta
• 2 Version history by API level
• 2.1 Android 1.0 (API level 1)
• 2.2 Android 1.1 (API level 2)
• 2.3 Android 1.5 Cupcake (API level 3)
• 2.4 Android 1.6 Donut (API level 4)
• 2.5 Android 2.0 Eclair (API level 5)
• 2.6 Android 2.0.1 Eclair (API level 6)
• 2.7 Android 2.1 Eclair (API level 7)
• 2.8 Android 2.2–2.2.3 Froyo (API level 8)
• 2.9 Android 2.3–2.3.2 Gingerbread (API level 9)
• 2.10 Android 2.3.3–2.3.7 Gingerbread (API level 10)
• 2.11 Android 3.0 Honeycomb (API level 11)
• 2.12 Android 3.1 Honeycomb (API level 12)
• 2.13 Android 3.2 Honeycomb (API level 13)
• 2.14 Android 4.0–4.0.2 Ice Cream Sandwich (API level 14)
• 2.15 Android 4.0.3–4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich (API level 15)
• 2.16 Android 4.1 Jelly Bean (API level 16)
• 2.17 Android 4.2 Jelly Bean (API level 17)
• 2.18 Android 4.3 Jelly Bean (API level 18)
• 2.19 Android 4.4 KitKat (API level 19
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• Refreshed interface with white elements instead of blue
• Clock no longer shows bold hours, all digits are thin. The H, M, and S markings for the stopwatch and timer have been removed, leaving just the numbers.
• Ability for applications to trigger translucency in the navigation and status bars^[127]
• Ability for applications to use "immersive mode" to keep the navigation and status bars hidden while maintaining user interaction^[128]
• Action overflow menu buttons are always visible, even on devices with a "Menu" key, which was officially deprecated by Android 4.0.^[129]
• Optimizations for performance on devices with lower specifications, including zRAM support and "low RAM" device API^[123]
• Wireless printing capability^[123]
• NFC host card emulation, enabling a device to replace smart cards^[123]
• WebViews now based on Chromium engine (feature parity with Chrome for Android 30)
• Expanded functionality for notification listener services^[123]
• Public API for developing and managing text messaging clients^[130]
• New framework for UI transitions
• Storage Access Framework, an API allowing apps to retrieve files in a consistent manner. As part of the framework, a new system file picker allows users to access files from various sources (including those exposed by apps, such as online storage services).^[67]
• Sensor batching, step detector and counter APIs^[123]
• Settings application now makes it possible to select default text messaging and home (launcher) application
• Audio tunneling, audio monitoring and loudness enhancer^[131]
• Built-in screen recording feature (primarily for developers, as usage of ADB is required)^[132]
• Native infrared blaster API
• Expanded accessibility APIs and system-level closed captioning settings
• New experimental runtime virtual machine, ART (not enabled by default)^[133]
• Bluetooth Message Access Profile (MAP) support^[134]
• Disabled access to battery statistics by third-party applications^[135]
• Settings application no longer uses a multi-pane layout on devices with larger screens
• Wi-Fi and mobile data activity (TX/RX) indicators are moved to quick settings^[136]
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• Improvements to auto focus, white balance and HDR+ for the Nexus 5 camera^[138][139]
• Better application compatibility for the experimental ART runtime
• Camera application now loads Google+ Photos instead of Gallery when swiping away from the camera view
• Miscellaneous improvements and bug fixes
• Further security enhancements and bug fixes
• Removal of the "App Ops" application permissions control system, introduced in Android 4.3^[141]
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