Evo Bluetooth Keyboard

Mobile Phone Buyer’s Guide: Battle of the Operating Systems

It looks like 2010 is going to be the year of the smartphone. The iPhone 4 is everywhere, pacifying sulky children in airports, directing tourists turn-by-turn and replacing newspapers wedged under the arms of commuters.

Competition has already stepped up though and other key manufacturers are offering hot alternatives to the Apple mobile phone with the Nokia N8, Samsung Wave, Samsung Galaxy S i900 and the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10. Meanwhile, the biggest rival to the iPhone, the HTC Desire, may be trumped by its upcoming younger brother, the HTC Evo 4G.

Besides hardware, what sets these phones apart are their different operating systems. With a smartphone you are sure to be using this feature constantly so it’s imperative you get the right platform. Check this simple guide to the pros and cons of the major operating systems.

Android

• First launched 2008
• Approximately 3 million handsets
• Full multitasking
• Latest OS 2.2
• Approx 65, 000 apps
• Native Bluetooth file transfer

The youngest of the operating systems, Android is rich in modern features like homescreen widgets, live wallpapers and integration with social networking.  If you’ve got a Google account Android is especially effortless, pulling your contacts, calendar, maps favourites and gmail in seconds. The OS checks for updates regularly and it’s Marketplace has thousands of apps to install on your HTC, Samsung, Sony Ericsson  or Motorola mobile phone.

BlackBerry

• Launched 2002
• Around 120 million handsets
• Multitasking although limited on some devices
• Latest OS 5.0 but 6.0 available soon
• 3000 apps
• Bluetooth file transfer limited by file type

The BlackBerry OS is well-established and designed for the distinctive BlackBerry QWERTY keyboards. Given its strong positioning for email, the BlackBerry OS excels at bringing all your email, texts and instant messaging together. This year expect the platform to get a robust update to keep a competitive contender.

iOS

• Launched 2007
• Approximately 60 million handsets
• Multitasks on the new iOS4
• Approx 200, 000 apps
• Bluetooth file transfer not native

The iOS is proprietary meaning it only runs on iPhone handsets and Apple hardware, and has been designed around a capacitive touchscreen. Keeping close to Apple’s functional design principles, the platform encourages interacting simply and directly with features on-screen. The other great strength of the iOS is the App Store, allowing you to customise your phone for personal functionality. And finally with the updated iOS4 Apple handsets can handle multitasking.

Symbian

• Launched 1998
• Approx 400 million handsets
• Full multitasking
• Latest OS is the Symbian^3
• Approximately 2, 500 apps
• Complete support of Bluetooth file transfer

Blog support for Nokia has been subsiding as Nokia fails to bring out a resilient flagship smartphone. Nevertheless, it is still a market leader due to high sales of keypad-driven phones like the N95 and off the back of this Symbian is dominates by virtue of volume. Symbian has always been strong in multitasking but its success comes in working on low-mid range price mobile phones.

Windows Mobile has been generally left behind in the battle of the platforms but keep an eye out for its new iteration due at the end of the year. Windows Mobile 7 might just turn Microsoft’s luck around.

About the Author

You can find out more information about iPhone 4 tariffs on the sites of all the major network providers. While you’re there check out some of the other smart mobile phones available. You might find some other hot deals for pay monthly phone contracts.

Pandora is a freelance copywriter and tech journalist.

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