What is Android Stock?
What exactly is original Android? If you’re looking to learn as much as you can about stock Android, this is where you need to be!
What is Android Stock?
Everything you need to know about the
Core OS Your Android smartphone is probably out of stock. Most manufacturers put their own software on top of the main Android operating system, a process known as “skinning”. If you have a current phone from Samsung, Oppo, OnePlus, Vivo, Xiaomi, or even Google, use an Android skin.
You might have read somewhere on the internet that the pure Android version is superior to these skins. This is a very subjective opinion, but it may have piqued your curiosity. What is standard Android? Is it really better than an Android skin? How to have an Android phone in stock?
We’ll answer all of these questions and more in this article!
What is Android Stock? Android stock at a glance
The purest version of Android is colloquially referred to as AOSP, which refers to the Android OpenSource project. This version of the operating system is “standard” status, without Google applications, settings or additional functions. Usually all versions of Android are based on this version.
You can now install the AOSP version of Android on a phone and name it “Stock”. However, for most real cases, the stock Android is a cut above. It usually features the inclusion of Google apps, including the growing Google Play Store. However, like the AOSP version, the standard Android usually doesn’t offer any additional customization (or at least a very limited number).
Every year, Google releases a new version of Android. All new features, bug fixes and improvements to the operating system will move to Android inventory. However, you should check with your phone manufacturer if and when this update will appear on your device.
Many people think Android Stock is superior to other versions because of its simplicity. Typically, Android versions contain “bloatware” (preinstalled apps that you may or may not want) and are “heavy” (meaning they contain a lot of extra code that could slow down the operating system). These issues make some users want a simpler and lighter version of Android than the one offered by the standard variant. However, the skin versions of Android often have a lot more features available. For example, a native dark mode only landed on Android on standard Android. 10, while the fur variants had this property for years.
The latest stock version of Android
The latest stable version of Android is Android 11 which was released in 2020. In 2022 we will see the release of the latest Android versions of Android 12 quickly as the cell phone maker doesn’t have to make a lot of software changes. However, this does not guarantee that all phones will always have the latest version. Manufacturers only update phone software for a limited period of time, so phones get old. You will need to check with your specific manufacturer to determine how long your phone will display updates.
Note that there are some programs that basically use standard Android without using this terminology. For example, the phones in the Android One program use a slightly modified version of standard Android. Android we explain in detail in the following article.
How to check your version and updates
It is very easy to check which version of Android you are using. On your standard Android phone, do the following:
Access Android settings by tapping the gear icon in the notification window or the Settings app in the app drawer.
Scroll down and tap About phone.
Scroll down a bit until you find your version of Android.
If you find that you have an older version of Android, there may be an update available for you. To check for Android updates with standard Android, follow these steps:
Access Android settings by tapping the gear icon in the notification bar or the Settings app in the app drawer.
Scroll down and tap System.
On the System page, tap Advanced at the bottom of the list. This will expand the list to reveal more options.
You will now see System Update in the list below.
Press the “Check for update” button to see if an update is available.
If no update is available but you have an older version of Android, your phone might be too old for new updates. It is also possible that the latest update is not yet available for your phone. Contact your phone manufacturer for more information.
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