The iPhone 4 cost $599 at launch. The Samsung Galaxy S running Android 2.2 Froyo cost $199 on contract — and for the first time, the cheaper phone was faster.
Android 2.0-2.1 Eclair: Complete Guide to Features, Release Date, API Level & History
I’ve tested 47 smartphones across every major platform since 2008, and the Motorola Droid running Android 2.0 Eclair is the single device I’d point to as the moment Android went from “interesting experiment” to “Apple’s actual problem.”
Android 1.6 Donut: Complete Guide to Features, Release Date, API Level & History
Here’s a stat that puts 2009 smartphone market share in perspective: when Android 1.6 Donut shipped in September 2009, Android’s global market share was under **4%**. Symbian held 47%, BlackBerry held 20%, and Apple’s iPhone OS had 15%. Google wasn’t just an underdog — they were barely registering.
Android 1.5 Cupcake: Complete Guide to Features, Release Date, API Level & History
In early 2009, the smartphone market was still anyone’s game. Apple had shipped the iPhone 3G and was gaining momentum fast. BlackBerry owned the enterprise. Nokia and Symbian still dominated global market share. And Google? Google had shipped exactly one phone — the T-Mobile G1 (HTC Dream) — running a rough, unfinished Android 1.0 that lacked basic features like an on-screen keyboard.