November 5, 2007
It was exactly seven years ago today that Android officially became a thing. Whereas the world was anxiously awaiting Google’s first smartphone, (likely the gPhone), Google went much bigger in scope. Instead of launching a specific device we got Android and the Open Handset Alliance. Forget one phone, let’s talk about unlimited phones.
Android is open source; it can be liberally extended to incorporate new cutting edge technologies as they emerge. The platform will continue to evolve as the developer community works together to build innovative mobile applications.
With 34 partners announced at the time, including T-Mobile, HTC, and even eBay, we were hooked. This was going to be a really fun field to watch. You see, it was also on November 5, 2007 that we started AndroidGuys. At the time there were five of us watching the space closely; we decided we’d track all of the goings-on. So, we created a little blog between us to share everything we could find. A few days later we had the domain picked out and we were on our way.
If you were paying attention in the early days you knew there was very little to talk about. It would be nearly a year until we saw our first hardware, the T-Mobile G1. We had to read the tea leaves, work closely with developers, and do whatever we could to create content. What started out as 10-15 minutes every few days would grow into full-time jobs and not enough time in the day to track it all.
Here’s the video that kicked it all off:
How prescient is that?! Nearly everything envisioned has turned out to be true. We just can’t read thoughts… yet.
Our focus has shifted over time. In the middle years we were doing what we could, keeping up with every single rumor, leak, firmware update, and whisper. Today, our focus is on existing users and helping them get more out of their devices. That means more emphasis on apps, wallpapers, widgets, accessories, and other fun stuff.
Little did we know at the time that we’d see tablets, cameras, watches, cars, TV’s and other products powered by versions of Android. Hundreds of products, millions of apps, and more than a billion activated devices later, and we’re still climbing.
I’m extremely proud of the site and the team I have in place. What’s more, I’m also incredibly gracious of the help we’ve had along the way. This is one of those cases where if you truly love something it never feels like work. Thanks to the guys and gals that have my back this has been nothing short of a dream come true. We’re seeing tremendous growth as of late and look forward to serving you guys for many years to come.
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