MOBILE OPERATING PLATFORMS

Mobile Operating Platforms

Abstract

Android and iOS are the world's leading mobile platforms and both enjoy a massive share of the global market. Android is developed by Google Inc. whereas iOS is the mobile operating platform that Apple Inc. develops for the iPhone, its market-leading smartphone brand. With a wide range of intuitive features and impressive functions, both Android and iOS mobile operating platforms have been locked in battle for a greater share of the global market. The purpose of this paper is to conduct a critical review of both these operating systems.

Table of Content

Introduction3

Major features and functionalities of 2 different mobile platforms.3

Android OS3

iOS (iPhone Operating System)5

Advantages and disadvantages of both Android OS and iOS6

Android OS Advantages6

Android OS Disadvantages6

iOS Advantages7

iOS Disadvantages7

Market share commanded by Android OS and iOS7

The role of application developers8

Conclusions8

References9

Mobile Operating Platforms

Introduction

Gone are the days when Symbian OS ruled the world of smartphones. With the advent of Android and iOS into the market, developers of operating systems practically redefined the way smartphones are used today. Both the operating systems promise an assortment of intuitive features that give them a great deal of user-friendliness. In addition, they also enhance the experience of the user by offering them innovative features.

Major features and functionalities of 2 different mobile platforms.

Android ranks among the best mobile operating platforms to date. It is highly customizable and user-friendly and enables users a great deal of flexibility in how they wish to use their individual smartphones by allowing them to customize virtually any feature. Here is a critical review of some of the key features of Android OS (Daniel, 2012, p. 27; Huddleston, 2011, p. 21):

Android OS

Pattern Unlock

Entering a 4-digit security code to unlock the phone is a thing of the last decade. Android adds innovation to the phone unlock process by introducing a pattern unlock function that lets the user draw a custom-defined pattern in order to unlock their smartphone (Huddleston, 2011, p. 29).

Improved Multitasking

Android OS offers a great deal of flexibility to the user in terms of usage. The interface is such that multiple applications can be launched and the user can then switch between them, minimizing other applications so that they continue to run in the background (Huddleston, 2011, p. 19-35). The operating system is also highly flexible and user-friendly so that switching between applications is smooth. This makes multitasking a piece of cake with the Android OS, enabling users to work on multiple functions simultaneously (Huddleston, 2011, p. 19-35).

Home Screens

Where conventional mobile operating platforms boasted only a single home screen, Android OS offers users multiple home screens, all of which are highly customizable (Huddleston, 2011, p. 19-35). This means that the users are able to place shortcuts of applications, weblinks etc. on their home screens and even use widgets customize the home screens differently.

Widgets

Widgets are another amazing feature that Android OS uses and this adds a whole range of new features and functionalities to the smartphone (Huddleston, 2011, p. 19-35). The user has the liberty to custom select from a list of ...