title: Android: Differences between bound and started services
body: <p>I am trying to identify the main conceptual (not implementation) differences between a bound and started service. Here are the main points:</p>
  <ol>
  <li><p>A bound service allows extended two way communication between the activity and the service whereas a started service need not return any results to the client activity</p>
  </li>
  <li><p>A bound service will service multiple clients (as long as there is at least one client bound to it) while a started service performs a single operation and then shuts down. (I am aware that there can be started services which are also bound)</p>
  <p>Are there any other major differences?</p>
  </li>
  </ol>