Mobile phones having android

What is an Android mobile phone?

An Android phone is a powerful, high-tech smartphone that runs on the Android operating system (OS) developed by Google and is used by a variety of mobile phone manufacturers.

Pick an Android mobile phone and you can choose from hundreds of great applications and multitask with ease.

You’ll also get regular software updates that add great new features to your smartphone.

Which handsets run Android?

The Android operating system is developed and owned by Google.

However, it’s not exclusive to the Google-branded Nexus range of phones.

In fact, Android powers a host of handsets from some of the biggest mobile manufacturers.

These include HTC, Samsung, Sony, Motorola and LG, many of whom have enjoyed tremendous critical and commercial success with mobile phones running the Android operating system.

Who makes the best Android phones and tablet phones?

To a certain extent, this is largely a matter of opinion.

However, it is definitely worth noting that both HTC and Samsung’s Android phones have been very favourably reviewed and have sold millions of units worldwide. Compare Samsung phones with Uswitch today.

Also highly rated are Google’s own branded Nexus range of Android mobiles.

Android mobile phone prices

Android phones range from state of the art models to cheaper handsets.

HTC and Samsung, for instance, have created superb Android phones for the top of the market, as well as mobiles running Android for those who want to spend a bit less.

Prices for the top-end models are around £500-£600 or more if you buy one outright. For that reason, most people prefer to get one on a contract deal and spread the cost over up to two years.

Monthly contract prices for these high-end models range from £25-£40 per month.

Mid-range Android phones can be had from around £300 outright or between £15-£25, while the cheapest, entry-level Android phones are £100 or so. Opt for a contract and expect to pay £10 or so per month.

Compare Contract phone deals at Uswitch now.

Budget Android phones vs high-end Android mobiles

Pick a cheaper Android phone and you’ll still get a choice of thousands of apps and a great communication tool with excellent social networking options.

The main difference between cheaper Android phones and the most expensive models is that the former will typically feature lower-grade cameras and lower resolution screens, such as QVGA displays, whereas the latter will feature the latest, cutting-edge specifications.

Less costly Android mobiles will also typically have less powerful processors. Consequently, cheaper Android phones may not run as fast or as smoothly and may be left out of the latest software updates because they’re not powerful enough to run them.

Google Nexus Android phones

As well as Android mobile phones from HTC, Samsung, Sony Ericsson and Motorola, Google has brought phones to market that feature its own branding. These are the well-regarded Nexus range of Android smartphones.

The main difference between Google Nexus Android phones and those made by third-party companies, such as HTC, are that Google-branded phones run what is called ‘vanilla Android’.

This means the user interface they use is completely unaltered from Google’s original design and that they do not feature the customisations that the likes of HTC and Samsung use to put their own stamp on their Android phones.

As a result, Nexus phone users have experienced few of the problems that have sometimes affected owners of other phone manufacturers’ handsets – such as hogging more memory and battery life — and have been able to get Android updates for their mobiles as soon as Google has made them available (see below for more information Android custom skins).

This has made them especially popular with committed tech fans, who are keen to get the latest, greatest version of Android on their handset as soon as possible.

Android mobile apps

The sheer range of Android apps available is a key selling point of Android mobiles.

Head to the Android Market – Google’s official applications download store – or the third-party owned GetJar orAmazon Appstore and you’ll be able to choose from a vast array of applications, taking in everything from practical business tools to fun games.

Best of all, many of these apps are totally free to download.

All Android phones also come with Google applications preinstalled, such as YouTube, Google Maps and Gmail, so you’ll have great some apps to get to grips with.

Google frequently updates these apps free, making them easier and better to use each time.

The software maker also creates free-to-download, innovative new applications, including the brilliant Google Goggles app that lets you conduct web searches by just taking pictures with your mobile.

Android updates explained

Periodically, Google releases an upgraded version of the Android software.

These are sometimes referred to by fun, dessert or other baked goods-themed codenames, such as FroYo (Frozen Yoghurt), Gingerbread, Honeycomb or Ice Cream Sandwich.

More formally they are given a version number by Google, such as Android 2.3 or Android 3.0.

Each time you get an update you can look forward to a host of new features for your handset. An Android update also makes your phone faster to use and fixes glitches and issues that have been discovered.

It really is like getting a brand new phone each time. And better yet, Google provides all updates completely free of charge.

Getting an Android update

Networks will typically send an email or text message to your phone to notify you when an update is available to download.

Some networks will automatically push out an update to your phone over the air.

All you have to do in these cases is look out for notifications that an update is available and press a button to accept the update. It will then begin downloading directly to your phone.

The exception is Samsung, maker of the best-selling Galaxy range of phones.

If you’ve got a Samsung Android phone must first download the company’s Kies software companion to your PC or Mac.

You can then download the update directly to your PC/Mac and plug in your phone to transfer the latest Android OS iteration to your mobile.

If you are getting the update over the air, it’s a good idea to use your wireless home broadband connection.

This is because an update is a fairly large file, which takes much longer to download over a 3G or 4G mobile broadband connection.

It’s also prudent to back up any information on your phone to a microSD card before performing the update, so that you retain all your contacts and other information if there is a problem installing it.

Android custom skins explained

Android skins are user interfaces that are particular to a manufacturer, such as HTC’s Sense and Samsung’s TouchWiz.

A user interface is what determines the layout of menus and functions on your phone’s screen.

Many phone makers prioritise social networking for their custom skins, with a view to making it easy to update your profile and stay in the loop with all your friends.

For this reason, most specially created user interfaces feature one-touch access to social networking apps, such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace, as well as a single location for you to view all your social networking activity.

Perhaps the best rated custom skin for Android mobile phones is HTC Sense, which has been lauded for its user friendliness and the cleanness of its layout.

In a Uswitch poll, Sense was dubbed the number-one custom interface for Android phones by 70 per cent of participants.

However, although welcomed by many users of Android phones, custom skins have on occasion caused notable issues with Android updates.

Some phone makers have experienced problems with getting updated versions of Android to work with their own user interface, which has resulted in delays in pushing out the upgrade to phones.

This development has fuelled speculation that Google will eventually do away with custom skins in future by allowing less scope for phone makers to customise their Android phones.

History of Android

Android was first unveiled to an expectant world back in November 2007.

However, the first commercially available phone to run the Android operating system did not go on sale until late 2008, when the T-Mobile G1 hit the shelves.

Manufactured by HTC on T-Mobile’s behalf, the G1 raced to one million sales, prompting a rush of phone makers to create their own handsets based on the Android platform.

Since then we have seen the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S and HTC Desire smash the G1’s early record several times over with global sales running into millions. Just as popular was the debut Android tablet, the Samsung Galaxy Tab.

Also helping to spread the OS’s popularity was the arrival of cheaper Android phones, not least the cute and very compact HTC Magic.

This was also the first to be offered on pay as you deals, thus making Android accessible to younger consumers and teenagers, as well as people on a budget.

Google’s first update for the OS was codenamed Cupcake, but was officially known as Android 1.5 and landed back in April 2009.

This debuted new functions, including the option to upload videos to YouTube, new widgets and also gave users fresh animations between screens.

Since Cupcake was released, Android updates have arrived regularly, with each overhaul of the operating system helping keep Android at the forefront of consumer technology.

The latest version, Android Lollipop, brings a new ‘flatter’ look to the operating system, as well as a redesigned Gmail app, a battery boost and improved security.

Want help with roaming charges? Maybe you could use some switching tips? Or perhaps you looking for ways to keep your monthly phone costs down? Head to our guides homepage where you’ll find all the help you need.

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Open Source Mobile OS Alternatives To Android

It’s no exaggeration to say that open source operating systems rule the world of mobile devices. Android is still an open-source project, after all. But, due to the bundle of proprietary software that comes along with Android on consumer devices, many people don’t consider it an open source operating system.

So, what are the alternatives to Android? iOS? Maybe, but I am primarily interested in open-source alternatives to Android.

I am going to list not one, not two, but several alternatives, Linux-based mobile OSes.

Top Open Source alternatives to Android (and iOS)

Let’s see what open source mobile operating systems are available. Just to mention, the list is not in any hierarchical or chronological order.

1. Plasma Mobile

A few years back, KDE announced its open source mobile OS, Plasma Mobile. Plasma Mobile is the mobile version of the desktop Plasma user interface, and aims to provide convergence for KDE users.

It is being actively developed, and you can even find PinePhone running on Manjaro ARM while using KDE Plasma Mobile UI if you want to get your hands on a smartphone.

2. postmarketOS

PostmarketOS (pmOS for short) is a touch-optimized, pre-configured Alpine Linux with its own packages, which can be installed on smartphones.

The idea is to enable a 10-year life cycle for smartphones. You probably already know that, after a few years, Android and iOS stop providing updates for older smartphones. At the same time, you can run Linux on older computers easily. PostmarketOS wants to achieve the same on the mobile platform, by tweaking Linux into a touch-optimized platform.

Don’t get too excited. PostmarketOS is in very early phases of development, and it is most likely that you won’t be able to use it like a regular smartphone yet. However, you may keep an eye on the postmarketOS community edition of the PinePhone if you want to purchase a smartphone that runs it.

3. PureOS/Librem

Ubuntu’s convergence efforts did not materialize, but this has not deterred others from their convergence dreams.

Convergence, in simple terms, is having the same operating system running on desktops, tablets, and smartphones. Ubuntu tried it and abandoned the project. Windows also failed at it.

The security and privacy-focused company Purism has its own PureOS Linux distribution. They are also working on a Linux-based, secure smartphone called Librem 5. Purism claims that PureOS is convergent, and Librem smartphones will run it. Apart from PureOS, it can run GNOME and KDE, with Debian, Ubuntu, SUSE, Fedora, and even Arch Linux.

The motto of the Librem is to be a “phone that focuses on security by design and privacy protection by default. Running Free/Libre and Open Source software and a GNU+Linux Operating System designed to create an open development utopia, rather than the walled gardens from all other phone providers”.

It’s more of a Linux-based smartphone rather than a Linux-based smartphone OS, but I believe that the convergent PureOS should be able to run on other devices with some tweaks.

4. Ubuntu Touch by UBports

The king of desktop Linux world, Ubuntu decided to expand its territory with its open source mobile operating system, Ubuntu Touch. Keeping convergence in mind, Canonical (the parent company of Ubuntu) ambitiously launched a $32 million crowdfunding campaign to build the first Ubuntu Phone, Edge. Though it failed to get the desired amount, it still set a new record, with over $12 million pledged to the campaign.

After the failed crowdfunding campaign, Canonical teamed up with some device manufacturers to launch Ubuntu Phone. Spanish manufacturer BQ became the makers of the first device running Ubuntu Touch in February 2015. It was soon followed by Chinese manufacturer Meizu. Those first few devices were aimed at developers, which is the reason I advised people not to buy the BQ Ubuntu Phone at the time.

Two years and a few Ubuntu-based phones later, Canonical finally decided to call it quits on their mobile OS. However, UBports is still trying to keep Ubuntu Touch alive.

With UBports’ efforts, Ubuntu Touch gets some updates. There are a handful of devices that are supported by Ubuntu Touch. You can see the list here.

5. LuneOS (No Longer Maintained)

LuneOS is an open-source mobile OS based on Linux kernel. It may not be a feature-rich alternative to Android (of course!). However, it is the successor to Palm/WebOS.

The last release was at the end of 2018. Since then, there have been no updates to the project so far.

The good thing about LuneOS is – if your device is compatible with CyanogenMod, it will most probably work on LuneOS. It is being maintained by WebOS Ports with no recent updates to it since October 2019.

6. Tizen

Tizen is an open source, Linux-based mobile operating system. It is often dubbed an official Linux mobile OS, as the project is supported by the Linux Foundation.

Apart from the Linux Foundation, the Tizen project is supported by tech giants Samsung and Intel. Initially slotted for late 2013 release, it was only in January 2015 that the first Tizen phone, the Samsung Z, was released in the South Asian market. Unfortunately, the Samsung Z failed to get much attention in a competitive Indian market.

Despite being based on Linux, Tizen OS has been marred by security issues. Quite frankly, I don’t see a bright future for Tizen OS. It is just a matter of time before the plug is pulled from this project but for the time being, it is active and also offers studio suite for developers.

7. Mobian OS (Debian for mobile devices)

Mobian is an open-source project with the aim to bring Debian GNU/Linux to mobile devices. The project is in initial phase right now, and it only supports PinePhone at the moment.

Mobian has a list of applications available on its platform and it recommends using apt package management system for these applications.

Obviously, this is experimental and intended for DIY tinkerers.

Very pleased with the latest image #Mobian (https://t.co/5lvDquET4C) on #pinephone. It feels like an almost-complete mobile OS. Great job! pic.twitter.com/mqVXz22HDu

Open source projects based on Android but free from Google

Most of the above open source mobile operating systems you saw so far are under development and not available for a wide range of mobile hardware.

Don’t despair. There are a few projects that are based on Android but customized to remove Google services from it. These Android distributions are open source and you can customize them to your liking.

If you are looking for an open source alternative to mainstream Android, these projects could be a good choice.

8. LineageOS and Replicant (open source Android distributions)

Both LineageOS and Replicant are open-source Android distributions. In other words, you can call them custom ROMs.

LineageOS was created after the much more successful Android distribution CyanogenMod was discontinued. LineageOS is a fork of CyanogenMod.

Though Replicant was founded back in 2010 by a couple of Free Software groups, it now uses the source code of LineageOS as the base. You can see the list of devices supported by Replicant here.

9. /e/ (previously known as eelo)

Previously known as eelo, /e/ is a non-profit project started by the developer of Mandrake Linux. It is an Android distribution, and the idea is to have an open source mobile operating system free from Google.

/e/ replaces Google services with its own services, with the promise to not track you or sell your data to advertisers like Google. /e/ will also utilize open source alternatives as much as possible.

/e/ is in active development and you can try to install it on a range of devices already. You can even buy refurbished devices preinstalled with /e/. That is one of the several ways of supporting the /e/ project.

10. GrapheneOS

GrapheneOS in an open source privacy-focused mobile operating system. It is focused on the research and development of privacy and security technology.

GrapheneOS offers Android app compatibility. It also develops various apps and services with a focus on privacy and security.

Basically, you can think of GrapheneOS as a hardened version of Android without Google services.

GrapheneOS has official production support for the Pixel 2 (legacy), Pixel 2 XL (legacy), Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL, Pixel 3a, Pixel 3a XL, Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL at the time of writing this article. Installation instructions can be found here.

11. CalyxOS

CalyxOS is yet another Android-based OS that focuses heavily on privacy and security. Even though it supports a few devices at the time of updating this article, it is one of the best options as a Google-free operating system while having regular system updates.

There’s nothing striking about it except its Android without Google to start with. However, it is interesting that even Lineage utilizes some of CalyxOS apps for certain functions like backup. So, it’s definitely worth taking a look.

Partial open source mobile OS

I think it’s worth mentioning a few projects that are not fully open source but they are challenging the duopoly of Android and iOS.

12. Kai OS (partially open source)

Kai OS is probably the world’s third most popular mobile operating system. Chances are, you haven’t heard of it.

Not your fault really. KaiOS was only released in 2017, and yet it is powering a huge number of mobile phones in just under two years.

So, what’s the secret here? Unlike other mobile operating system, Kai OS doesn’t target the high-end, touch phones. Instead, it provides smartphone-like functionality to feature phones.

Feature phones, or basic phones, are inexpensive, and having smartphone-like functionality makes them an attractive and affordable device.

Kai OS is based on Linux, as it is a fork of a fork of now defunct Firefox OS (mentioned later). Kai OS is not completely open source. Only the Linux Kernel modifications are open sourced, rest is closed source.

You can gauge the potential of Kai OS from the fact that it runs on over 100 million devices and Google has invested $22 million in it.

13. Sailfish OS (partially open source)

When Nokia decided to ditch the MeeGo mobile OS project, few unsatisfied Nokia employees decided to keep MeeGo alive in the form of Sailfish OS. Their flagship product Jolla has met with moderate success, and has a dedicated fan following. MeeGo was supposed to be continued by Linux Foundation in the form of Tizen, but over the time Tizen evolved on its own and cannot be termed a MeeGo derivative anymore. The same is true for Sailfish OS, the core OS of which is based on the Mer project, which itself is based on the work from MeeGo.

While Sailfish OS created some buzz among early adopters thanks to the Jolla devices, the company seems to be struggling.

Sailfish OS is not entirely open source but focuses on privacy. However, you could consider it as an option when you are looking for a mobile OS other than Android and iOS.

Honorable Mention: Firefox OS [Discontinued]

Firefox OS was an open source project from Mozilla Firefox, the parent company of the famous open source web browser. It created quite some ripples with the announcement of Firefox O- based smartphones that cost only $25. The aim was to target emerging markets such as Brasil and India.

Unfortunately, the low price tag alone could not make Firefox OS the Raspberry Pi of mobile devices, and, like Tizen, Firefox OS did not have any success with its ZTE devices. Firefox now plans to shift its focus from low cost devices to user experience with Firefox OS.

What do you think?

When I first wrote this article a few years ago, I was hopeful for some of these alternative mobile OSes. However, the present situation is gloomy, and I don’t think any OS listed here is going to make a mark. It’s not like I don’t want them to be a success, I am just being honest here.

What do you think of these Android alternatives? Do you think these Linux based mobile OS will leave their mark or will they struggle for a decent market share like desktop Linux? Do share your views.

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About Abhishek Prakash

Creator of It’s FOSS. An ardent Linux user & open source promoter. Huge fan of classic detective mysteries ranging from Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes to Detective Columbo & Ellery Queen. Also a movie buff with a soft corner for film noir.

Your description of the state of Ubuntu Touch sounds outdated. There are currently 78 supported devices, it’s being actively developed, there is a lively community, and it’s very usable as a daily driver on the righ device. Maybe it’s time for another look.

So, dose anyone pay attention to anything anymore? I been keeping up with a few things on line because of recent p events and I don’t understand why no one catches on . Are there any os available or am I stuck with snoople?

The ongoing issue with a viable alternative to Android or iOS is that generally speaking none of them support the core apps that users have become addicted to the convenience of (i.e. Google Maps, Search, etc.) despite the data/privacy implications of those apps.
Security & Privacy are very important, more so every day in 2021, however it seems as if the only way any “Alternative” OS is going to gain sufficient initial market traction and longer term market share is to initially launch with the core Google Apps (preferably with the maximum possible available limitations on the data they can gather) for most users who demand them primarily out of laziness/familiarity but with alternative privacy/security based alternative Map/Search/Translate etc. apps also installed. As data/privacy conscious owners use the ‘alternative apps’ they will mature and become comparable in reliability, functionality, and accuracy to the Google Apps and it will then be down to advertising/marketing to make the ‘average user’ comfortable with using a non-Google Device+App ecosystem so that they can phase out pre-installed Google. That takes money, which probably means that longer term it would require such a software based approach to partner with a large device maker (I had high hopes for Sailfish when they appeared to be working with Sony that it would expand to a stronger partnership but that looks to have stalled) or a well-funded 3rd party company of some sort which would benefit from ousting Google & iOS from their duopoly positions (TeslaOS anyone? Or CiscoOS, IBMos, OracleOS? The companies that are big enough to out-market Google, Apple, Samsung etc. and be a semi-trusted name are limited, but they’d likely break through if partnered with the right base software)

Currently the options are coming from companies too small and under-funded to compete in a world dominated by marketing and hype, and too fragmented to come together and cooperate for the Greater Google-free Good, so each one gains a few supporters and a tiny bit of traction and then falls away simply because they didn’t attract enough users or have a way of funding the long-term development without lots of users.

The other approach would be to launch & promote “AlternativeOS” from whoever as a phone extender by which I mean almost all high-end smartphones currently get no more than a couple of years of genuine OS support & updates, and most people update not because they dislike their current phone but because it then starts to not get updates/security/etc. So if your “AlternativeOS” was something that users could install as an overwrite & replace OS on their existing still-pretty-high-end phone then restore their pre-backed-up-data (photos, music, contacts, etc.) and be assured of further ongoing support for their phone with no bricking or discontinuation then it could develop as a 2nd Life type OS, or even a 2nd Hand Phone market OS, gain users/following/maturity/etc. that way, alongside a small but hand-picked number of devices available from new via a name-brand (such as Sony/Motorola/Nokia/etc) on which you can run it from new (i.e. no self-made/branded devices from the OS makers until after OS maturity)

Neither of these approaches seems to be being followed by anyone currently.

If one were to ask all “Smart Phone” users if they understood how their “Google Android or Apple iPhone” operating systems (OS) worked, 99.9% would answer “No!”

The truth is that one does not have to understand what is being “bundled” into the OS of a device in order to use it. Personally I have a “Dumb” phone because I do not want my telecommunications device being a “personalized vending machine” where I have to pay for uploading/downloading data i.e. not being knowledgeable about the type data nor the amount data being exhanged for of which I have no control. How does the IT industry define “Freedom of Choice” and digital “Privacy and Security?”

For the two dominant OS providers is it the case whereby some really “smart” people have “dumbbed” it down to such an extent that it has become an accepted “norm” whereby “digital penetration” is pervasive and insidious?

In Australia by way of example, mobile devices such as “Smart Phones” have almost become compulsory for purposes of COVID-19 tracking, and politicians discussing tracking users by way to GPS tracking. In addition when online, Internet Service Providers are legisated store users “metadata.”

I selected a “Dumb” because all I really want to do is call someone or be called; and texting is great. Don’t need to search the internet, stream content nor use a camera on a “tiny screen” with icons replacing words and fonts so small it is a strain to read. I wonder if in Australia Occupational Health and Safety legislation has actually considered and/or defined legible digital device “Font Size(s)? Fact is people are making choices for other people, there is no consultation.

Think about the choices “you make.”

Unfortunately, I agree with you that most (if not all) of these valiant efforts will not succeed and most will fold. I wish it wasn’t the case, but the diminishing share of Linux on desktop is a clear signal.

I really hate that iOS and Google have been so successful in convincing the majority of people that giving up their privacy and control of their own device is worth the convenience of having a device that (mostly) works. I think the reason is simple: laziness. Most surveys say that people don’t like being tracked and think it’s “wrong”- but they take no action other than to complain.

Complaints will not fix the issue, and neither will the government; silly and ignorant people will continue to be suckered (and buy things like the recent “freedom phone” that is anything but…).

Agree. My efforts of converting people from WhatsApp to Signal were equally met with skepticism. Some use it as a side kick now, but most have remained on WA. The main issue I have with the attitude of people is that every tiny bit of privacy and security we let go of, is most likely gone forever. It takes significantly more effort to gain back control. And that’s exactly the point you’re making above too… it takes significantly more effort to establish a viable open and secure ecosystem to displace market leaders.

But we must also be honest. For 20 years I looked at linux as a desktop solution and I find it is still hell once you leave the comfort of the browser, office and email apps. Why is that? Why can’t linux make usage seamless? Why must one be a techie to use it? We can’t expect a majority to convert to linux phones if we don’t endeavor to take a real stab at exactly the convenience that makes iOS and supposedly android so great. Linux for desktop and mobile still needs to grow up. Rather than constantly trying new stuff and retouching the GUIs, why not focus on taking out the rough edges so that our parents an work with it? Developers don’t look at their designs through the eyes of our parents, and maybe they should from time to time…

I’ll tell you why Linux OS’s are still the purview of techies. Because of the attitude of Unix wiz-aards that was carried over into Linux as that project garnered developers – eg only techie wiz-aards should be ALLOWED to have computing devices or be allowed to work on them – literally if you cannot/do not want to always do things in complicated ways from the command line, you Don’t Deserve to use a computing device. I was a GUI developer in the 80s and 90s for a variety of OSs including Unix and this is literally what I was told on a daily basis by every single Unix (self-styled) wiz-aard I ever worked with. The denigration of the very idea of a non-command line, GUI based, point-and-click OS was universally derided.

I’ve long ago left the techie field and I’m sure this attitude is (a) not nearly so prevalent and (b) not nearly as perniciously vehemently vitriolic, but the attitude is still there even if in a watered down form and over the years it has drastically impeded the development of a truly easy to use and universal OS.

That sort of attitude is the sole and only reason for the failure of Linux to become a mainstream OS. It should and could have happened decades ago if not for the biases and bigotry of so many of the initial developers.

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