1) Linux, from Torvalds onward. Android used Linux as the hardware abstraction layer and still does. How many developers there?
1B) The ARM Linux developers, especially. Russell King is an unsung hero in this space.
2) The sea of subcontractors that helped with device drivers, subcomponents, integration, and manufacturing. Remember that whole "Open Handset Alliance"[1] thing? Those were all companies doing work for the Google/Android either under contract or gratis in the hopes of getting future work thrown their way or increasing their handset sales with the Google monolith behind them. I was one of them.
3) Webkit. How many developers worked on that (including Apple engineers)? OpenBinder (started at Be)? OpenGL?
1) Linux, from Torvalds onward. Android used Linux as the hardware abstraction layer and still does. How many developers there?
1B) The ARM Linux developers, especially. Russell King is an unsung hero in this space.
2) The sea of subcontractors that helped with device drivers, subcomponents, integration, and manufacturing. Remember that whole "Open Handset Alliance"[1] thing? Those were all companies doing work for the Google/Android either under contract or gratis in the hopes of getting future work thrown their way or increasing their handset sales with the Google monolith behind them. I was one of them.
3) Webkit. How many developers worked on that (including Apple engineers)? OpenBinder (started at Be)? OpenGL?
[1] http://www.openhandsetalliance.com/oha_members.html