Android 1.0, the first commercial version of the software, was released. The first commercially available Android device was the HTC Dream.
Based on API level 1, Android 1.0 enabled camera support, WiFi, Bluetooth, folders, a web browser, notifications, voice dialing, YouTube, alarm clock, gallery, instant messaging, media player, and the whole Google apps array and Android Market. It really was the basic beginning, and already fulfilled a lot of what smartphones should be able to do.
Android, Inc. was founded in Palo Alto, in October 2003 by Andy Rubin, Rich Miner, Nick Sears and Chris White. Android's first intention was to be an advanced operating system for digital cameras. But when it realized that the market wasn't big enough, the company changed its focus to become an operating system for smartphones that would rival Symbian and Microsoft's Windows Mobile.
Google that saw the potential market for smartphones, acquired Android on July 2005. During this time, Android wasn't yet heard by many people.
During his stay at Google, Rubin developed Android to be a mobile device platform powered by the Linux kernel. Google marketed the platform to handset makers and carriers on the promise of providing a flexible, upgradable system. This was followed by "Android's birthday", the time when Android released its first beta.