The best operating systems for smartphones. Alternative mobile OS
Modern mobile phones are much more than devices for making calls. In terms of their functions, they are more similar to a PC; it is not for nothing that such devices have the prefix “smart” (from English - “smart”). The ability to use more programs is provided by the operating system (OS) of smartphones. To choose the most suitable device for yourself, you need to consider what platform it runs on. Today we will highlight three of the most popular systems.
Android system
Android is an operating system from Google. It is distributed free of charge, and the requirements for the technical parameters of a mobile device are minimal. These characteristics have made this platform one of the most popular among major smartphone manufacturers. This OS is very easy to configure. Moreover, it is constantly evolving. There are a huge number of Android applications, they are created regularly. Downloading and installing them will not cause any difficulties. However, most of them are paid. There is one more nuance: applications developed for one version of Android may not work correctly in another. In this regard, in the conditions of constant updating of versions, some inconveniences may arise.
Most Android phones have a microSD card reader that allows you to quickly transfer files from your computer to your phone. Moreover, to transfer data from and to a mobile device, you do not need synchronization programs (unlike IOS and Windows Phone).
The system works in multitasking mode - this is both a plus and a minus at the same time. It is possible to switch from one active window to another, but if you forget to close something, the battery power will be used up very quickly.
The great advantage of this system is the ability to use flash drives to expand the memory of your device.
Android cannot boast of stable operation, and there is a high chance of “catching” viruses, since the system is open, and, therefore, more vulnerable.
Apple iOS
This OS is completely closed, so you need to pay for the products. This platform is distinguished by excellent performance quality and stability - this is its undoubted advantage. In addition, it is easy to learn. Another plus is safety. The Apple Store carries out a thorough check of all applications.
The disadvantages of the system include the fact that it is only available on Apple devices. Accordingly, the choice of smartphone in this case is significantly narrowed (compared to Android). There is no way to change anything in the system, transfer files from a computer, etc. That is, the user’s freedom in handling the device is very limited. When buying a phone, you need to immediately decide on the required amount of memory, since you will not be able to expand it.
This OS is developed by Microsoft. It is not as popular as the above, but many users believe that in the future WP will be able to compete with the leaders. The interface here is very convenient and unusual: instead of widgets there are so-called “live tiles”. They display information on the screen without opening the application itself (for example, calendar, weather, etc.). The responsiveness of the system, the speed and smoothness of the interface are often noted among the advantages.
A very useful feature that allows WP to be called a platform for business people is the ability to edit text documents, since the MS Office package is supported. A definite disadvantage is that there are many times fewer applications in WP than in iOS and Android, and not all are fully functional. Another drawback is the uniform volume level in the system: if you listen to music at full volume, then the incoming call will be at the same level.
We have listed only some aspects of the most common smartphone operating systems. But this information may be enough to understand which OS you are more inclined to use.
Currently, the rapid development of information and communication technologies and the population's interest in mobile technologies have given impetus to the emergence of another form of learning - mobile learning. Mobile learning is a subsystem of e-learning, which in turn is a form of distance learning. It is based on the use of portable devices (laptops, tablet PCs, PDAs, smartphones, mobile phones) and wireless communication technologies (GPRS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc.) that they support.
Today, many mobile education systems at the design stage require the development of applications for mobile devices, which gives rise to a large number of problematic aspects, starting with the choice of a mobile portable device and ending with the choice of a software tool for designing applications for it.
Therefore, the task of classifying mobile application design tools for mobile education systems is relevant today and requires detailed analysis.
There are many platforms that a developer can choose for their programs. Each of them is in most cases mutually incompatible (ie, a program developed on one platform will not work on another).
First of all, mobile device platforms can be divided into platforms that can be used on mobile devices from various manufacturers and platforms that are focused on use only on a device from a specific manufacturer.
Thus, platforms supporting mobile devices from various manufacturers include:
The Java ME platform generally produces portable applications, although sometimes there are device-specific libraries (usually used for games) that make them non-portable. This is often used to ensure simple applications are installed on the phone. Applications (including their data) cannot exceed 1 MB if they are designed to support most phones. They must also be cryptographically signed to allow use of an application programming interface such as a file system access API. This is quite rarely done even for commercial applications. Java ME runs on top of a virtual machine (called KVM), which allows smart, but not full, access to the functionality of a regular phone. The JSR process serves to incrementally increase the functionality that can be made available to Java ME, while also providing the owner and producers with the ability to prevent access or restrict access for the intended software.
The Symbian platform was originally created for mobile devices, the Symbian platform is an interactive, multitasking OS specifically designed to run on resource-constrained systems, increasing performance and runtime while minimizing memory usage. The Symbian Foundation maintains code for open source software for the Symbian OS-based platform and foundation software provided by Nokia, NTT DOCOMO and Sony Ericsson, including the S60 and MOAP(S) user interfaces. The platform is completely open source, mainly supplied under the Eclipse Public License. More than 300 million Symbian OS-based units have been sold and Symbian has around 50% market share globally.
Android is a Linux platform from the Open Handset Alliance, which includes Google, HTC, Motorola, Qualcomm and T-Mobile. It is supported by more than 34 major software, hardware and telecommunications systems companies. Application programming is done exclusively in Java. For development, a specific Android Java SDK is required, although any Java IDE can be used. If you can, create an Android application yourself using the Android reference book.
NET Compact Framework is primarily used for developing applications on Pocket PC/Windows Mobile devices, although it is now being extended to Android devices as well.
BREW is used to deploy applications on CDMA devices (although it also supports GPRS/GSM models). Distributed through the Brew content platform. Small market in Europe. BREW can provide complete control over your phone and access to all its features. However, the rights provided by native code with direct access to the phone's API have caused BREW to target primarily certain software vendors. Although the BREW SDK is freely available, running the software on actual mobile hardware (as opposed to provided emulators) requires a digital signature, which can only be obtained using tools issued by mobile content providers and Qualcomm. Even then, the software only works on test devices. To be loaded onto feature phones, the software must be verified, tested and approved by Qualcomm using the BREW testing program.
Windows Mobile, which is an analogue of the well-known MS Windows operating system, adapted to the capabilities of portable devices.
Palm OS is a powerful company that is aimed at the US market.
Flash Lite is used for devices that support Flash Lite Player.
Microbrowser based. The lightweight functional platform is provided via a web interface.
Platforms that are aimed at supporting devices from specific manufacturers include:
BlackBerry supports email, mobile phones, text messaging, Internet fax, web browser and other wireless information services, as well as a touch interface. It has a built-in QWERTY keyboard optimized for protuberance, using only your fingers to type. BlackBerry devices will soon dominate the North American smartphone market. In addition, BES (BlackBerry Company Server) and Mobile Data Systems (BlackBerry MDS) are important to BlackBerry.
iPhone OS. The iPhone and iPod Touch SDK uses object-based Ci, which is based on the C programming language. Currently only available in Mac OS X 10.5 and this is the only way to write an iPhone application. Approved by Apple for placement on the AppStore, the only distribution channel for iPhone and iPod Touch applications. However, non-Apple approved apps can be transferred to illegal iPhones via Cydia or Installer.
Each of the mobile application platforms also provides a development environment that provides tools that allow developers to design, test and deploy applications in the environment of the chosen platform.
Mobile application developers They always start by defining the platform for which the new application will be created. According to competent experts, the following platforms for mobile devices are considered the most successful and in demand today: Android, Windows Phone, iOS and Symbian.
The mobile version of Windows Phone is the successor to Windows Mobile, although it is incompatible with it, and has much in common with the desktop program. Windows Phone supports multi-touch technology. With the release of Windows Phone 8, users have the opportunity to combine their smartphone, tablet computer and personal computer into a single system (which gives mobile application developers the opportunity to port programs to different devices). The main difference between this platform and other existing ones is the ability to run applications in the background and the system’s independent control over the amount of RAM.
Initially counting on the enormous functionality of the current phone, Nokia developed and launched its Symbian platform, the serial production of which brought tremendous success. Initially there were only 3 directions of its development and this, first of all, was a version for an ordinary phone - Symbian, then for the S60 smartphone, and finally a touch version of the S60 Taco. Then an improved version of Symbian^1 was released, which had a stable micro-kernel with 32 bits, adapted for real-time operation and inheriting all the best qualities of v9.4. Smartphones running on this platform now have the ability to launch and operate effectively several programs at once, expanded multimedia capabilities, and added the function of editing audio and video files. In two or three years, the following versions of Symbian^2, Symbian^3 and Symbian^4 appeared, the difference between which lies in the number of desktops and the degree of development of communication components. At the moment, the number of devices on this platform is decreasing, giving way to iOS and Android.
Apple's iOS mobile platform is characterized by a simple and clear interface, and the software is fast and productive. Having a reliable security system prevents suspicious applications from running and thereby harming the system. The disadvantages of this platform are that it does not support NFC and Wi-Fi Direct technologies, so music can only be downloaded through iTunes. Added innovations allow you to listen to music online.
The Android platform already supports Wi-Fi Direct, NFC, and allows streaming of multimedia files. Also, cameras, TV tuners, flash memory media can be connected to smartphones and tablet computers based on this OS via a USB port. An installed and updated security system does not allow the acceptance of uncertified and malicious applications. Version Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean) introduced support for Bluetooth Smart functions, which allows you to communicate with any Bluetooth devices without a headset and is able to work with the OpenGL ES 3.0 application.
Articles and Lifehacks
When reading articles on mobile topics, the question often arises: what is a phone platform and how does this concept differ from, for example, an operating system.
Let's try to understand the casuistry of the problem.
What is the difference?
If we are talking about an operating system, then we mean a set of programs that allow application applications, for example, a text editor or browser, to interact with the computer hardware.That is, we mean a specific software product, for example, Android 7.1, Windows 10 Mobile or iOS 11.2.
This concept can also be understood, depending on the context, as system files located directly in the built-in memory.
When it comes to a platform, we mean something of an abstraction, an environment within which various applications are developed and executed.
Principles of organization of execution, standards used, compatibility and other equally abstract concepts.
So, for example, a program written within a specific platform will generally work regardless of the version. But transferring it to another type of OS is possible only in one case - if it is cross-platform.
In the case of mobile devices, we are dealing with a special case, therefore, unlike more complex systems, it is quite easy to understand what we are talking about.
Main platforms of modern mobile devices
At the moment, there are three main platforms: used in devices:
- Android;
- Windows.
The only device that uses iOS is the famous iPhone in all its versions. does not allow anyone from the outside into its holy of holies - the development of an operating system.
It can be described as closed, conservative, but at the same time quite effective.
Windows in phones is generally not very common: devices created on its basis, as a rule, are niche products that are not particularly popular among the general public.
Its main advantage is its compatibility with desktops and laptops.
The smartphone market is developing and updating very quickly - models and technologies replace each other in a matter of months. In such a situation, it can sometimes be quite difficult for an ordinary buyer to navigate, especially if this is a person buying his first smartphone and not familiar enough with these devices. What to look for when buying a smartphone? Perhaps one of the most important things is the operating system on which the smartphone runs. Unlike personal computers, in which the OS is completely under the control of the user, the owner of a smartphone usually cannot reinstall his system or replace it with another one. When you buy a smartphone, you get the system provided by the manufacturer. The available software, functionality and user interface of the smartphone depend on it. The most popular mobile systems today are Android, iOS, BlackBerry OS, Windows Phone 7, Symbian and Bada. Let's look at each of these systems in more detail.
Android
Today, this mobile operating system is the most popular in the world - more than 330 million devices based on this OS have been sold and it occupies a 59% share of the smartphone operating system market. This system is open, which means that its source code is in the public domain, and everyone has the right to freely use or modify this code. Thus, the system is attractive both for software developers and smartphone manufacturers, because working with it is much cheaper and easier than with many others. The development of the system began in 2003 with the founding of Android Inc. In 2005, this company was acquired by Google, and the first smartphone with this system on board was released in 2008. Today, the system is actively supported by both large companies led by Google and independent developers. The latest version of the system, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, boasts a significantly improved user interface and expanded functionality.
Overall, this platform is characterized by great flexibility and freedom provided to the user. There is a fairly strong integration of Google services, but there is always the opportunity to use alternative software. Programs can be downloaded both from the specialized Play Market store and from third-party sources, for example from a computer or other Internet sites. Today, more than 1,000,000 programs are available for this OS. It is also worth noting the fact that many smartphone manufacturers install their own proprietary shells on top of this operating system, which improve ergonomics and increase reliability, while slightly limiting the settings available to the user. In general, this OS can be recommended to users who want to achieve maximum functionality from their smartphone.
iOS
This system, which until recently was the leader in the smartphone market, has today taken on the role of catching up with Android. Today, the market share of this platform is 22.9%. The system itself was developed by Apple for the iPhone released in 2007. This OS has largely changed the understanding of the ergonomics of mobile operating systems, implementing MultiTouch technology for the first time, as well as optimizing the user interface for a large high-resolution touch screen. The system itself is completely closed - this means that the source code of the system remains inaccessible and can only be changed by the owner - Apple. The latest version of the system at the moment is iOS 6.
This system has a convenient, beautiful and fast user interface, but its customization options are very limited. In addition, even for such simple operations as exchanging files, synchronizing with a personal computer, or simply copying files to the phone, you must use special software from Apple. The company has done a lot to attract a large number of third-party developers to its platform, and as a result, a huge amount of software from third-party developers is available for this platform. In general, this OS can be recommended to those users who put convenience above all else - iOS demonstrates ideal performance with a high level of functionality.
Symbian
This operating system occupied a leading position in the market 5 years ago, but today its share has decreased to 8.6% and continues to gradually fall. The development of this system began in the second half of the 90s, and the first communicator on it was released in 2001. For a long time, this system was virtually the only player in the communicator market, receiving widespread support from mobile device manufacturers. The greatest success with Symbian was achieved by Nokia, which in 2008 became the sole owner of this system. The latest version of the system was officially renamed Nokia Belle and released in 2011.
Nokia is preparing several major updates to this system, but due to the fact that many major smartphone manufacturers are gradually refusing to use it, the company has canceled the development of a new version of the system. But still, this system still occupies a large market share, especially for mid- and low-price devices. This operating system boasts great stability, convenience, good optimization and economical battery consumption. This OS can be recommended to anyone who needs a convenient and functional smartphone at an affordable price, characterized by a long battery life.
Bada
This is an innovative operating system developed by Samsung, which recently appeared on the market, but has already managed to occupy a share of 2.7%. Bada is distinguished by a high level of ergonomics and user-friendliness, however, due to the newness of the system, software from third-party developers is still quite small for it. However, Samsung has plans to intensively support this OS with the potential of making it an open system. This operating system can be recommended to anyone who is interested in new, non-standard solutions in the field of user interface and ease of use of a smartphone.
Windows Phone
The mobile platform from Microsoft called Windows Mobile remained the main competitor to Symbian for many years. However, this platform had high system requirements, an insufficiently user-friendly interface, and was generally oriented towards business use. Therefore, at the end of 2010, Microsoft released a new system with a completely redesigned user interface, aimed primarily at the consumer - Windows Phone 7. The user interface, based on the Metro design philosophy, specially developed by Microsoft for this operating system, is distinguished by ergonomics and a completely unique visual style.
This operating system is just gaining momentum in the market, but most major smartphone manufacturers have already announced their desire to support this platform. In addition, the latest update to Windows Phone 7.5 has significantly improved the functionality of the system, putting it on par with market leaders in this parameter - Android and iOS. In addition, traditionally, the Microsoft platform has the best integration of the company's software, including the Microsoft Office software package. This OS can be recommended to anyone interested in innovative user interface solutions and who wants the full range of powerful Office capabilities in their smartphone.
Results
To summarize, I would like to say that each mobile operating system has its pros and cons, and its ideal areas of application. To better understand which system you need, you should clearly outline the range of tasks that a smartphone should solve, and then determine which of these platforms is best suited for solving these problems. Well, our online store, in turn, provides you with a wide selection of smartphones on any platform. You just need to make a choice and place an order - and you will receive the desired device at the best price and with the most favorable delivery conditions. We guarantee that you will be satisfied with your purchase made from us.
