Android is an open-source mobile operating system developed by Google and the Open Handset Alliance. It was first unveiled in 2007 along with the founding of the Open Handset Alliance, a consortium of tech companies including Google, HTC, Samsung, and others. Android is based on the Linux kernel and is written in C, C++ and Java. It has gained widespread success with over a billion active users and the largest installed base of any operating system. However, some disadvantages include advertisements, reduced battery life from certain apps, and the potential for viruses in some applications available on the Android Market.