How is Android activities different from services?
Every profession uses common terms which have a special meaning within the work that they do. The interviewer is asking you this question to confirm that you know the differences between activities and services within the context of Android. Since this is a technical question, you should first start by defining each of the terms and then list the differences between them. As with any technical question, keep your answer brief and to the point. You should also be prepared for follow-up questions in case the interviewer needs more information or wants to explore the topic in more detail.
"Within the context of Android, a service is a component of an application which enables it to run in the background. This is common for applications that need little user interaction and run for a long time. On the other hand, an activity is a shorter operation that runs in the foreground and can be modified or terminated by the user. Activities are used by programmers when the user interaction, as required in the activity, is dependent on other activities or services. Services are preferred when the operation needs little user interaction and can function independently."
