The Pros and Cons of an Android-Powered World

This year, Android is donning the crown of the world's No. 1 operating system, both in terms of the number of devices that use it and the revenue its ecosystem generates. As an Android user, I don't really mind -- but there are ominous aspects to its growing dominance and a possibility that better technology may not get the recognition it deserves.

StatCounter, the web analytics company, reports that Android devices accounted for 37.93 percent of global internet traffic, just ahead of Windows' 37.91 percent. That's remarkable, considering that most people use some version of Windows on computers at work. Given the mobile operating system's momentum as people spend more time on their phones, the scale will soon tip further in Android's favor.