Mobile phones are now truly an expression of our individuality. As customers, we all love what our mobile phones can do for us. Make and receive calls, send messages through texting or email, browse the internet and so forth. Have we ever wondered what makes these mobiles ?tick?? It is the operating system (OS).
There are many different mobile phone operating systems currently being used. Some of the most well-known include Symbian, BlackBerry OS, iOS, Windows Mobile, and Android. Most of them are associated with specific brands of phones made by companies while others are open-source and are available on a variety of platforms.
Symbian is primarily used by Nokia, but some phones by Sony and Samsung have this OS installed as well. Symbian is an ?open source? system, meaning anyone can use it without having to pay. Symbian was the first platform specifically developed for smartphones. In India, it is perhaps the most sought after platform due to the huge repository of applications available on the internet for this OS and primarily due to Nokia?s large share of the Indian market.
Samsung, Motorola and Samsung Ericsson also use their proprietary operating systems. The BlackBerry OS is tailor-made for business, with functionality taking a lead over personality or appearance. Apple?s iOS is used on the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. Operating system security and compatibility has been a point of contention for some in regards to iOS. The platform is entirely closed-source, and Apple, with secrecy as part of its culture, chooses on its own which software the platform will, and will not support.
The Android is based on the Linux OS. Originally developed by an independent organisation, it was later bought by Google, although the OS itself remains free and open source. Android is praised by many for its flexibility as a platform. This is the new kid off the block but as it looks today, it will probably edge out all other players in the OS segment as the real long term winner.
Windows Mobile, also known as Windows Phone, is the mobile phone version of Microsoft?s OS. Because of this, it is easily compatible with many Windows programs such as Microsoft Office, and made it a popular choice for businesspeople, in the initial days of its launch. With Symbian, Blackberry, Android and Apple OS gaining huge popularity, the demand and need for Windows based phones has weaned considerably.
There are other niche mobile phone operating systems currently in use. Palm?s webOS, Bada from Samsung and Nokia?s Maemo are some of the operating systems that are also used on smartphones around the world. Nokia is now working with Intel to develop another platform known as MeeGo.
Statistics published for the second quarter of 2010 showed that Symbian devices comprised a 41.2% share of smart mobile devices sold, with RIM having 18.2%, Android having 17.2%, and Apple having 15.1% (through iPhone OS).
Andriod is fast catching up and is now becoming the OS of choice for all major handset vendors, barring Nokia and Blackberry.
The choice of buying a mobile phone is no longer based on the looks or the hardware specs of the handset. Increasingly, people are making the decision to purchase by getting to the ?heart of the matter?, that is, the operating system.
The writer is CEO, Spice Hotspot