Android Things is a deprecated Android-based

embedded operating system An embedded operating system is an operating system for embedded computer systems. Embedded operating systems are computer systems designed to increase functionality and reliability for achieving a specific task. Resource efficiency comes at the ...

platform by Google, announced at

Google I/O Google I/O (or simply I/O) is an annual developer conference held by Google in Mountain View, California. "I/O" stands for Input/Output, as well as the slogan "Innovation in the Open". The event's format is similar to Google Developer Day. H ...

2015, and launched in 2018. Android Things Dashboard shutdown began on January 5, 2021. After January 5, 2022, Android Things Dashboard has been shut down completely and all remaining data has been deleted. Originally, Android Things was aimed for low-power and memory constrained

Internet of Things The Internet of things (IoT) describes physical objects (or groups of such objects) with sensors, processing ability, software and other technologies that connect and exchange data with other devices and systems over the Internet or other com ...

(IoT) devices,Google developing “Brillo” Internet of Things OS based on Android
/ref>Project Brillo is Google’s new Internet of Things OS
/ref> but in 2019 the project dropped support for low-power hardware and refocused on smartphone-class devices.

History

Pre-release

During Google I/O 2015, Google announced an upcoming Android-based

platform, codenamed Brillo. At the time, project aimed to support low-memory devices with as little as 32-64 MB of RAM. Brillo platform was not just an OS for IoT devices, but instead a complete software stack with cloud component which included management console for device provisioning and update delivery. Brillo supported

Wi-Fi Wi-Fi () is a family of wireless network protocols, based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, which are commonly used for local area networking of devices and Internet access, allowing nearby digital devices to exchange data by radio w ...

and

Bluetooth Low Energy Bluetooth Low Energy (Bluetooth LE, colloquially BLE, formerly marketed as Bluetooth Smart) is a wireless personal area network technology designed and marketed by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (Bluetooth SIG) aimed at novel applications ...

and Weave protocol for communicating with cloud (including update delivery), communication with Android phones, and other compatible devices (including

Google Nest Google Nest is a line of smart home products including smart speakers, smart displays, streaming devices, thermostats, smoke detectors, routers and security systems including smart doorbells, cameras and smart locks. The Nest brand nam ...

products). In 2016, Google revamped Brillo under the new name Android Things. Originally, Android Things was aimed for low-power and memory constrained

(IoT) devices, which are usually built from different

MCU The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appear in American comic books published by ...

platforms.

Release

In 2018, Android Things was officially released, with version number 1.0. At the same time, multiple OEMs (including JBL,

Lenovo Lenovo Group Limited, often shortened to Lenovo ( , ), is a Chinese multinational technology company specializing in designing, manufacturing, and marketing consumer electronics, personal computers, software, business solutions, and related se ...

, and

LG Electronics LG Electronics Inc. () is a South Korean multinational electronics company headquartered in Yeouido-dong, Seoul, South Korea. LG Electronics is a part of LG Corporation, the fourth largest ''chaebol'' in South Korea, and often considered ...

) released smart home devices powered by Android Things. These devices were based on two Qualcomm "Home Hub" systems-on-chip solutions and Google-provided implementations of Android Things tailored for

Google Assistant Google Assistant is a virtual assistant software application developed by Google that is primarily available on mobile and home automation devices. Based on artificial intelligence, Google Assistant can engage in two-way conversations, unlike t ...

-powered

smart speaker A smart speaker is a type of loudspeaker and voice command device with an integrated virtual assistant that offers interactive actions and hands-free activation with the help of one "hot word" (or several "hot words"). Some smart speakers can a ...

s and displays. In February 2019, Android Things refocused on smart speakers and displays. The project dropped support for resource-constrained IoT devices and changed focus to smartphone-class devices.

Shutdown

In December 2020, Android Things Dashboard FAQ page was quietly updated with a notice about upcoming Android Things shut down. Android Things Dashboard stopped accepting new device registrations and projects on January 5, 2021, and stopped distributing updates on January 5, 2022 (at which point "the console will be turned down completely and all project data will be permanently deleted — including build configurations and factory images.")

References

External links

* {{Google LLC 2015 software Android (operating system) Cloud clients Embedded Linux Embedded operating systems Google operating systems Internet of things Software using the Apache license