Definition: Google acquired Android as a startup company in 2005. Neither company gave many details about the company or the projects they were working on at the time of acquisition, other than saying they made software for mobile phones.
On November 5th, 2007, Google announced that they had formed a partnership with several other companies, called the Open Handset Alliance.
The alliance introduced Android as an open platform for mobile phones. Android is "an operating system, middleware and key mobile applications," according to The Open Handset Alliance.
