Android Inc. developed the Android mobile operating system before Google acquired it in 2005.
Android Inc. was founded in 2003 by Andy Rubin, Rich Miner, Nick Sears, and Chris White. Google acquired the company in 2005, and the Android operating system later became one of the world’s most widely used mobile platforms.
Android’s open and customizable design allowed many manufacturers to use it across smartphones, tablets, televisions, cars, and other devices. That broad distribution helped Google expand its services and advertising reach beyond its own hardware.
The company Android Inc. is distinct from Google and Alphabet. Android is now a Google-led platform, but the original developer was a separate startup. This distinction matters in company-history questions because acquisitions often place a product’s origin before the corporate structure that later made it globally valuable.