Android vs iOS vs Windows Phone – a Brief Comparison
Perhaps the most crucial factor in whether you choose a phone from Apple or any other manufacturer’s what you think of the respective operating systems. Some feel most at home in Apple’s iOS operating systems while others prefer Android or Windows Phone. Each operating system has its respective advantages that appeal to different types of users. On this page we will go through some of the key differences between the operating systems and a brief background about each software.
NOTE! We in the newsroom are aware that the choice of operating system, hardware and ecosystem is something of a hot potato that many users feel the need to vent. Insults to other consumers’ choice of phone or software is not okay and “flame wars” are not permitted in the comment field.
Android – the world’s most widely used mobile operating system
Android can in many ways be said for mobile phones what GNU / Linux is on servers, and it is also not surprising that they have a related code base. Over three quarters of the world’s smartphones using Android, an operating system currently administered by Google.
The operating system is essentially based on the Linux kernel, and large parts of the Android code base is open. It’s free for developers to use Android as the basis to develop their own “fork” (such as Cyanogenmod), but Google puts some restrictions when it comes to brands and access the application store Play Store.
Characteristic of Android is that it has a little more PC-like basis. You have access to a file system, you can freely install applications outside the app store and, depending on what restrictions your manufacturers have sat on their circulation, get root access just like in a Linux distribution. There is also ample space for your device by downloading new Home screens, icon packages and the like. It is in other words a very large extent to make the drive to “your own”.
Android uses basically of virtualization, namely applications running in virtual machines rather than “directly” from the processor. This offers the advantage that Android can run with minimal modification on a huge variety of devices, both ARM and X86, and in pace with modern processors become more powerful, virtualization efficient the performance loss is smaller.
Basic Android interface is precisely the opportunity to change and customize the launcher, while news items and fast controls usually found in strip drawn down from the top of the screen and a search function is accessed by pulling up from the bottom of the screen. Although these features can vary a lot between different manufacturers’ versions of Android.
IOS – for a refined ecosystem
Ios, or iPhone OS that it was dealt with was called, began as an easy porting of Unix-based XNU kernel from Mac OS X to the ARM processor in the iPhone, but with a new interface designed for touch screens. Instead of betting on a PC-like basis, Apple has invested in a customized system for their hardware, where each function is designed specifically for Apple’s mobile devices rather than to work with such a broad device support as possible.
The entry angle provides several advantages, but of course also some disadvantages. The advantage is that Apple can build neat new features streamlined format that allows the units work together seamlessly, such as Airplay for streaming music or Airdrop system for file sharing. It also means that Apple can optimize their software substantially, and get more performance out of a given hardware.
Another benefit worth mentioning is the ability to share conversations and text messages between your iOS and OSX devices. Did you get a telephone connected to your Apple account, you can answer and make calls through all your Apple devices connected to the same wifi, and you can even send SMS messages from all these devices. When at home, you can then put the phone on charge and put you at the computer or bring the iPad to the couch and still have access to all telephony functionality.
At the same time this model is that it’s just Apple that manufactures handsets with iOS and that the options for customizing the interface of its own is limited. For many consumers, it does not matter, in that Apple places great importance in the system they happen to agree should be easy and intuitive for as many people as possible to use, but for those who like to poke around in settings and try things out for get a unit tailored to their preferences can feel restrictive.
Characteristic of the user interface of iOS is the home screen where all apps are and notices, widgets and quick controls are distributed between the two function strips which “pulled” in from the top and bottom. For iPad also supports multi-touch gestures to switch between applications.
Windows Phone – a little different but very good
Windows Phone is the market’s so-called “underdog”. With around five percent of global market share, Microsoft’s mobile operating system hard to compete with the two major competitors.
The latest version of the operating system called Windows Phone 8.1 is the final version of Windows Phone before the launch of Windows 10 Mobile. This means that Windows Phone 8.1 does not have far to go to his death. Upgrade warranty from Microsoft will be all Windows Phone 8.1 devices upgraded to Windows 10 sometime in the future, probably at the end of this year. The upcoming version of the OS is expected to make it easier for software developers to create apps for the operating system, which should increase the quality and quantity of apps in the Windows Store.
Windows Phone’s big problem is at the moment its lack ecosystem of applications. Both iOS and Android has plenty of great apps available in their stores, in comparison, Windows Phone 8.1 a really awful ecosystems. Windows Store lacks many of the world’s most popular apps and even apps for many of Sweden’s major banks. This means that Windows Phone is not a particularly good choice for the majority of Sweden’s smartphone users.
Anyone who can see past the Windows Phone’s lack of good apps can enjoy a really good operating system. It differs functionally and aesthetically from both iOS and Android, but is better than the two competitors in many ways. The operating system’s user interface and design language is unique, easy to understand and fun to use. Thanks to good optimization it also works really well on the cheap phones, which allows Windows Phone is a good option for smartphone buyers who want an inexpensive smartphone that is easy to use.
Windows Phone is short, a good operating system that has a big problem: apps. At present, the lack of apps so extensive that it is difficult to recommend Windows Phone phones at all.
