Alphabet is the parent company of the Android operating system and the Google Play app store.
Alphabet became Google’s parent company in 2015, when a new corporate structure separated Google’s core internet products from several other businesses. Android and Google Play remain within the Google subsidiary, which also includes Search, YouTube, Maps, and advertising technologies.
Android began as a company acquired by Google in 2005. The first commercial Android phone, the HTC Dream, went on sale in 2008. Google Play developed from the Android Market and became a central distribution platform for apps, games, books, films, and other digital content.
Alphabet is one of the world’s most valuable public companies because its businesses generate substantial advertising revenue and operate at enormous scale. The company’s market capitalization reflects the value of Alphabet as a whole, not merely the Android brand. Alphabet’s Class A shares trade under GOOGL, while Class C shares trade under GOOG.