Android is an operating system and a software platform upon which applications are developed.
A core set of applications for everyday tasks, such as Web browsing and email, are included on Android handsets. As a product of the Open Handset Alliance’s vision for a robust and open source development environment for wireless, Android is an emerging mobile development platform. The platform was designed for the sole purpose of encouraging a free and open market that all mobile applications phone users might want to have and software developers might want to develop.