Alphabet owns Google and operates the Android mobile operating system through its Google subsidiary.
Alphabet was created in 2015 as a restructuring of Google. Google became the principal subsidiary, while other businesses and projects were placed under the new parent company. This arrangement separated Google’s core internet products from ventures such as autonomous vehicles and life sciences.
Android was initially developed by Android Inc., which Google acquired in 2005. Google later helped lead the development of the Android platform, which became one of the world’s most widely used mobile operating systems.
A common mix-up is calling Alphabet simply a search engine. Search is one Google product; Alphabet is the parent company whose businesses include Google Search, YouTube, Android, and Google Cloud.