Mobile Operating Systems: What Are They?

With the smartphone age comes competing operating systems (OS). And applications are programmed for specific OSs in mind, so that the applications can run both smoothly and seamlessly. As an application developer, it is important that you understand the different mobile OSs so that you can decide which ones are better for your application.

iOS

There are two kinds of OSs—open systems and restricted ones. Apple’s smartphone software, known as the iOS, is one of the latter. This means that third party applications do not work on the phone. An iPhone user can only use applications developed or approved by Apple itself.

Even though this is the case, the Apple iPhones are still a crowd favorite because of its smooth transitions and operations. That the iPhone works seamlessly with the MacBooks is another positive factor.

Android

Android, on the other hand, is an open source system. Anyone can develop applications for this OS, and users get to enjoy a plethora of free software.

Because of the fluidity of the system itself, Android is currently the most widely-used system. This system gives users access to some of the best features—multiple home screens, multitasking, and widgets, among others.

Windows Phone

The Windows Phone system makes itself unique because of its tiled appearance. On the home screen, users have the option to change around the squares. It also runs on a number of hubs which compiles photos, files, and other content for easy access.

While the Windows Phone is among the top OSs of 2017, its market share is considerably smaller. But because of recent upgrades on the developer-side, this OS is starting to gain traction, as well.

So here are the top three OSs of 2017. They each have their own strengths and weaknesses, so it is up to you to decide which one better suits your cause.