Remember, remember the fifth of November. Not because some moustachioed fella tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament - but because, on this day in 2007, Android was born. Today, it's hard to remember a time when Android was anything but a powerhouse of the mobile space. But eight years ago the world was only just getting its very first glimpse of what the droid could do.
And that was just day one, too. We were forced to wait almost a year more before the first Android-powered device hit the market. Since then, though, Android has gone from strength to strength, culminating in these eight world-beating devices that have not only pushed the platform to new heights - but changed how we even look at phones...
1. HTC Dream
Released: October 22, 2008
This is where it all began, folks. A device that went by many names, the HTC Dream/T-Mobile G1/Era G1 holds the mantle of being the very first, commercially available, Android phone. Ever. Precursor to the HTC Desire line, one of the best smartphone families at the time, the Dream's slider mechanism gave users a touchscreen experience offset by a BlackBerry convert-appeasing physical QWERTY keyboard.
It might have had a paltry 528MHz processor and just 192MB of RAM alongside a messily 3.15-megapixel camera, but this chunky, 17.1mm thick handset laid the foundations for all Android phones that have followed. For this, we thank it.
2. HTC Nexus One
Released: January 5, 2010
What to Read Next
Android-powered smartphones just got serious. Having taken a bow with the world's first Android handset, Google continued its partnership with Taiwanese firm HTC for its first true flagship offering and debut Nexus device.
A phone built for Android, the Nexus One upped the specs race while moving to a more premium design. Everything was boosted. Everything was refined. Android was over its teething problems and this is the device that showed the true potential of the platform. Symbian, BlackBerry OS, Windows Phone, your days were numbered from this point.
3. Samsung Galaxy S2
Released: February 13, 2011
There have been many "iPhone killers" mooted over the years. The Samsung Galaxy S2, however was one of the first devices to truly give Apple's handsets a run for their money – and disillusioned iPhone owners a credible new alternative.
Sure, in hindsight, it's a flimsy, plasticy affair, but in its day, this 4.3-inch handset was one of the best devices around. One of the first dual-core smartphones, the long time predecessor to the Samsung Galaxy S6 paired oodles of power with a slick UI and an impressive 8-megapixel camera.
4. Nexus 4
Released: October 29, 2012
LG-made, Google-branded, the Nexus 4 defined a generation of smartphones, and not just because it was the launch device for Android Jelly Bean. A phone that continues to be the basis for our tech-based interpretation of value for money, the Nexus 4 paired a hugely impressive specs sheet with a price tag half that of its chief rivals.
A 4.7-inch HD display, quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM and 8-megapixel camera were nice. But when this iPhone-rivalling array of innards cost well under £300 on day one, it quickly became the year's must-have handset.
5. Samsung Galaxy Note 2
Released: August 29, 2012
'A phone the size of a small plate in my back pocket? Pah - they'll never take off. What were you thinking, Samsung?' Oh, you were thinking you'd successfully create the dawn of phablets and completely revolutionise the smartphone market? OK. Alright then.
Many scoffed when the original, 5.3-inch Samsung Galaxy Note touched down. When its 5.5-inch follow-on landed 12-months later, big phones were firmly a thing and the world stopped laughing. Samsung has led the oversized handset push ever since. Today, the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 might be missing from UK stores, but its stylus-free sibling, the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+, leads the big-screen smartphone stakes.
6. Motorola Moto G
Released: November 13, 2013
The Nexus 4 might have shaken up the smartphone market, but the Moto G reinvented it. Forever. No, this isn't the most powerful or specs-impressive handset to ever hit the market. But with a decent features list partnered with a near giveaway price tag, this device turned budget phones into a market more about value for money than simply low asking prices.
Having sparked one of the most successful smartphone sub-brands in recent times, the original Moto G quickly fell to just £100. It gave credibility to affordable phones and made the SIM-free smartphone space a more appealing option than costly contracts to many people.
7. LG G3
Released: May 28, 2014
Having spent a couple of years receiving little credit for making amazing phones for Google, LG came into its own with a device that paved the way for the new era of smartphone screens. And sound. And interaction. This phone changed a lot, alright.
The first widely available phone to move beyond Full HD, the G3's 2560 x 1440 pixel QHD display wowed when it launched, and continues to impress more than a year later. The phone's rear-mounted power and volume controls were an innovative addition and LG addressed poor audio quality with a built-in amplifier. Now available for under £160, the G3 has made the impressive transition from flagship must-have to one of the best value devices around.
8. Nexus 6P
Released: September 29, 2015
Google's latest flagship phone, the Huawei-produced Nexus 6P, has put the big-G back in the upper echelons of hardware maker after last year's wobble with the indifferent Nexus 6. Beyond powerful and with more features than you'll know what to do with, this device is the epitome of a modern high-end handset.
QHD display, check. 64-bit processor, check. 12-megapixel camera, 8-megapixel selfie shooter, fingerprint scanner, checkity, check, check. The new Nexus is arguably the best and most well rounded Android device to date. It's also the first to run the latest, performance-enhancing, battery-boosting OS, Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
