Summary
Google is Android’s major maintainer. Because of that, you may think that Pixel devices run the least modified form of the operating system—known as “stock Android.” Well, that’s not true.
Google announces new devices, like thePixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, alongside amajor Android upgrade. During these events, the company often talks aboutfeatures introduced with these versions. But many of these features don’t make their way to devices from other brands. Shouldn’t they be available for every phone or tablet that receives the upgrade? That’s when the differences between “stock Android” and “Google’s Android” come in.
What Is Stock Android?
Stock Androidis an Android version without any modifications—from Google or from anyone else. However, it’s unlikely you’ll see a device with this version on store shelves.
As the owner of Android, Google is unsurprisingly the most influential Android maintainer. However, the system is, in fact, developed by a consortium of companies, theOpen Handset Alliance(OHS). In its unmodified form, the system is called the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). Android manufacturers use AOSP as a basis to create their own variations, usually referred to asAndroid “skins.”
As the name states, AOSP is open-source. Therefore, it’s available for anyone todownload from Android’s official page. You download AOSP in the form of something called a “Generic System Image” (GSI). It can be installed on any phone that supportsProject Treble, somewhat likeinstalling an Operating System (OS) on a computer.
The AOSP GSI is a bare-bones implementation, mostly for developers. But it’s the “purest” form of Android you can get—the same you’d get bydownloading Android’s source code and compiling it yourself.
Which Devices Run Stock Android?
Currently, no major manufacturer sells devices featuring stock Android. Some brands, like Lenovo/Motorola and Google, limit visual changes to a minimum, but they still make under-the-hood customizations.
Until 2015, there was a line of devices designed to run stock Android.Google’s “Nexus” branded phones and tabletswere made in partnership with a number of manufacturers to showcase what “stock Android” could do.
There were also two other programs to promote “pure Android.” The first one was “Google Play Edition” (GPE) devices. GPE phones were regular devices, like the first-gen Moto G and the Galaxy S4, but they ran AOSP. However, the GPE program only lasted from 2013 to 2015. TheAndroid One programsomewhat succeeded it, but Android One allows hardware-specific modifications, like camera apps.
Officially, Android One is still alive. However, a single model was launched in 2023: the Japan-onlyKyocera Android One S10. Though there were high-end devices, Android One was focused on mid and entry-level devices.
Nowadays, low-tier phones usually ship withAndroid (Go Edition), a version with fewer features and lower requirements. Differently from the Nexus and GPE lines, Android (Go Edition) allows devices with manufacturer customizations, like Samsung’s One UI Core. Therefore, it’s not a “stock Android” initiative per se.
Google’s Android Is Not Stock Android
That brings us to the point: how are “stock Android” and the system used in Pixel devices different? The simple answer is Pixel devices are all-in on Google’s services.
As explained, “pure Android” (AOSP) features absolutely no modifications. It’s so bare-bones that basic functions, like Bluetooth connectivity, may not work. Manufacturers take this “unpolished stone” and add the stuff needed to make things in a specific device work. That’s the software needed to enable cameras, mobile connection, fast charging, and so on.
Then, the manufacturer adds its customizations: icons, settings menus, in-house apps (and bloatware). Some interfaces, like the (now-defunct) MIUI, are so heavily modified that parts of them don’t even remotely resemble “stock Android” anymore.One UIis a more common example of a highly customized Android skin.
Google does the same thing with Pixel devices. Pixel devices feature specific hardware, like theTensor processorsfrom the more recent models, which require modifications in AOSP to work correctly. And, just like a Galaxy device ships with theSamsung Internet browser, or one from Realme features the manufacturer’s Photos app, Google’s phones and tablets also have Google-branded apps.
Some of them, like Chrome or Maps, are available to anyone. Others, like the Pixel Camera, are exclusive to Pixel devices. It goes much further than apps, too. Features like Smart Selection, Live Translate,Call Screen, and Hold For Meare exclusive to Google’s Pixels.
Nexus and GPE devices were essentially meant as “reference platforms” forenthusiasts and developers. They were popular during a time when many of the third-party Android interfaces were sluggish and heavily fragmented. Some,like HTC’s Sense, were notably important for the system’s history, but they did come at the cost of speed.
Pixel phones and tablets, on the other hand, are Google’s vision of what it thinks Androidis meant to be. They’re made for the general public,not just developers and enthusiasts. One might define the Pixels as “Google’s iPhones.” The comparison is not totally untrue. Even Google admits this byplacing the devices as direct competitors.
And that shows in many aspects: like Apple’s devices, Pixels rely heavily on hardware and software customizations.New Android versions arrive first for Pixel devices, too—just like Apple’s OS updates are released simultaneously to all compatible devices.
But, since Android as a whole remains open to any manufacturer, is that necessarily something bad? Other Android manufacturers also offer exclusive features. To name a few:
Therefore, it’s not surprising that Google wants some of that, too. The “stock Android” fussiness was always something mostly limited to tech-savvy enthusiasts. If this audience wants to keep using the barebones form of the system, they can always install an AOSP GSI—ortry custom ROMs.
