Android

Posted by : Unknown Saturday, June 29, 2013

ABSTRACT

A mobile operating system, also referred to as mobile OS, is the operating system that operates a Smartphone, tablet, PDA, or other digital mobile devices. Modern mobile operating systems combine the features of a personal computer operating system with touch screen, cellular, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS mobile navigation, camera, video camera, speech recognition, voice recorder, music, Near field communication, personal digital assistant (PDA), and other features. The smart phone market is dominated by three major operating systems which are Android by Google, iOS by Apple and Windows Phone 7.5 by Microsoft.

These days, hot topics that almost everyone is interested in mobile technology, mobile devices and of course, mobile operating systems. Everyone wants to be able to do everything fast, and on the go. The developers have done a great job feeding us a never-ending stream of new apps, new devices and new hacks. We are like drug-addicted junkies, and we just can’t get enough. I have to admit, I love it! I will be one of those people who will run out and buy an iPhone5 knowing full well that in a year from now it will be obsolete. And, I can’t wait to do it. So it’s a battle in mobile operating system market and we are going to throw light on all three major operating systems.

INTRODUCTION

There have been many revelations in mobile operating system technology but the single biggest revolution was when Apple launched the iPhone. Apple turned a mobile handset from a mere voice and data enabled device to a “super-cool gizmo.” So far Apple has reigned as the king of mobile. But Google’s Android has launched a volley of successful attacks on its rival, questioning the dominance of iOS. On the other hand, the newest of the three entrants, the Windows Phone, is still working on building up adoption. Some might even say it is now a three-system world, but each OS has its own benefits and challenges.

This year has been one of great operating systems for mobile phones and the battle between them which continues for some years now. The two main opponents of today are the Apple iOS 6 and the Android 4.1 known under the nickname of Jelly Bean. This continuing competition grabs the attention of many users as they are interested in the new features of both operating systems. While some are devoted fans to one of these two, others are more cautious and wait to see what the pros and cons are in this battle. But this battlefield is only to the benefit of the users and usually competition gets the best out of technology, while it can get the worst out of people.

Motivation

This is an era of gadgets and devices that comprise of the latest technical advances in the world and Smartphone market has been the one that has been affected most recently with big boys like Apple , Microsoft and Google battling in smart phone arena. Customers generally go for their satisfaction rather than comparing the three giants as they carry some brand loyalty with themselves. My motive in this report is to first cast a light on all three and then find out what separates them. So that they can be selective and wise in their choice and can identify what suits them the best.

HISTORY OF MOBILE OS

Mobile operating systems have come far in the last 15 years. From dull screens with no Internet connection, to the mini-computers that we have today, the changes have been staggering. [x]cubeLABS has a graphic on its site displaying the progression of several mobile operating systems over the years

Smart Phones and other gadgets are a major part of our daily life now, no matter if you are a youngster or a mature person. We all should know the fundamental and most important part of the smartphone which is called an operating system (OS)
Here’s a list of the most popular mobile OS’s

iOS. On June 29’th 2007, Apple released the first version of iOS together with their first iPhone. It was originally named the iPhone OS, but was renamed to the iOS in June, 2009. iOS technology had it’s roots based on C programming language and is supported by the following mobile devices: iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch. Basic iOS applications include: Google Maps, YouTube, iTunes, iBooks and many more. Since then, thousands of companies focused specifically on developing solutions for the iPhone.

Android OS started as a project in October 2003 and it was financially backed up by Google. Google fully acquired it by August 2005. Android is an operating system designed for cell phones and smart books based on Linux. Most of the Android apps are written in the Java programming language. It is mainly used by Smartphone’s like Motorola Droid, Samsung Galaxy or and Google’s Nexus One

Windows Mobile 7 is an operating system supported by Microsoft. Windows Mobile 7 is based on Microsoft Win32 API. Windows mobile works on some devices including Pocket PC, Smartphone, communicators. Most versions of Windows Mobile have a set of standard features such as multitasking and the ability to navigate a file system and it comes bundled with a set of applications.

ANDROID ICS

Ice Cream Sandwich, or ICS for short, is the latest update to the Android operating system. Android's major updates all have dessert code names starting in alphabetical order, starting with Cupcake (the letters A and B were never used). ICS is Android 4.0, and this release brings a lot of interface changes to what is now a maturing mobile platform

Tablet and Mobile Interfaces Unite

One of the big intents for ICS is that it brings elements of Honeycomb, the tablet version of Android, into the phone OS. Ice Cream Sandwich uses the same button-less design of Honeycomb. Instead of a series of physical buttons on the screen, there are software buttons that stay on the bottom left corner of the screen and follow the user as you tilt the phone in different directions. ICS is also bringing re-sizable widgets to the phone, no Motorola Blur interface required.

Behind the scenes, ICS also provides developers a more graceful way to program once for multiple screen sizes. That makes it easier to develop apps that look good on a tablet or a phone with many different possible screen sizes.

This version also includes support for a larger variety of hardware, including stylus pens. There's also an interesting accessibility feature to allow visually impaired users to navigate by touch using haptic feedback.

Changes in Appearance and Interface

Google used to shy away from graphic design, but they've thankfully rethought that position. ICS uses a new typeface, Robota, a thin, stylish sans-serif designed to look good on mobile devices. There's also a new look and feel to most screens. Gone is the ghastly green of Gingerbread, and now there's a blue look to the top screen and the clean new font in white.

There's a change to the overall user interface, too. You can now use Honeycomb's easier multitasking to switch between running apps.You can also dismiss alerts one at a time if you choose, so you don't forget that you've got an unanswered email. You can also quickly text a reply to an incoming call without having to unlock the screen. You pick from a list of messages, one of which is probably "I'm in a meeting, I forgot to turn off my ringer, and you totally just embarrassed me by calling right now." Well, maybe not phrased that way, but something along those lines.

The Contacts app is now renamed the People app designed for integrating profile data between apps and social networks.

Face Recognition

ICS is packed with many cool new features. Instead of using a pin or password to lock your phone, you can use face recognition. That's very cool, but it actually failed in the demo, so hopefully there's a backup plan when the lights are dim or something else interferes with the camera.

Data Usage

ICS now has data usage built into the phone. Not only can you tell how much data you've used, you can arrange for the data to shut off when you've reached your limit. You can also set up data management strategies like you would power management. This will come in very handy for anyone who has a limit on the amount of data that comes with their phone plan.

NFC Features

The Nexus S came with NFC, and Google has been working on Google Wallet and other ways to use NFC features. Now you can use the NFC to tap and share items with other users who also have NFC chips. This is like the Bump app or the old Palm beaming system, only easier to use - when you have compatible devices.

Camera Tweaks

Not only can you use the new face unlock feature, you can also do more video and still picture editing from your phone or device. This makes it even easier to carry the camera on your phone as the only camera you need to keep with you. You can now drop out the background behind you or add live fun-house like effects to video while chatting over Google Talk. Yes, iOS users have been able to do this for a while, but now Android users can, too.

There's also built-in support for making panorama pictures, and the Gallery app has been redesigned. Also a big win for those of us who write about Android, you can take screen shots directly from your phone and then send them to a device later. Hooray! In case you don't know why this is a big deal, here are the steps to take screenshots from Android right now.

Security and Connectivity

These are some features that don't mean anything to the average user, but they do mean something when you use an app that takes advantage of it. ICS adds better support for VPN, more Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity options, and the ability for the camera to be shut off remotely. VPN and remote camera management are designed to help get Android in the hands of business users.

Productivity

Android 4.0 enhances Exchange email by now supporting folders and more standards for enterprise. There's also better auto-completion for recipients, and there's a new quick reply feature to let you avoid tapping out a huge reply when you mean to say something like "I'm checking this from my phone, but I'll get back to you with a longer response later." The calendar integrates Exchange and Google Calendar dates as it did before, but it also allows other apps to include data on the calendar. It finally uses a swipe left to right gesture for switching between months and days. Gingerbread and previous versions used an up and down swiping gesture that's still confusing after years of Android use.

ICS also offers better spell correction and a new mode for taking longer dictation that highlights possible spelling errors. The Web browser also has a handy feature to request the desktop version of websites.

Overall, these are some fantastic improvements. Don't expect them on your phone anytime soon. The Galaxy Nexus will ship with ICS, but other phones may not get the upgrade for quite some time, if ever. It remains to be seen whether manufactures still feel compelled to put a custom user interface on top of Android or whether they'll innovate through compelling hardware design and optional apps. Don't hold your breath.

iOS6

Following the announcement in June at this year's WWDC, Apple's latest software update for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch is out. But should you be rushing to press the download button, or can you live without the new features? We've been using the new OS on the iPhone 5 and the new iPad to find out.

The new update is free. When the software is available (some time on 19 September) you'll be asked to download the latest update, and after you've updated your phone the shiny new features will appear.

Apple's iOS 6 is compatible with iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, fourth-generation iPod touch, iPad 2, and the new iPad. If you've got any other Apple devices aside from those listed above, you won't be getting it. By all means read on, but you might be left wanting, and that will only lead you to go and update your phone, your iPod or your iPad. Sorry

Siri

The concept of Siri hasn't changed since it was launched on the iPhone 4S last year, however the capabilities have. In the US there's a stack of new tricks, such as support for baseball, hockey, American football, and soccer. However here in the UK we now get UK business support as well as the ability to ask your phone what the football scores were at the weekend.

Maps

Deciding that it can do better, Apple has ditched Google Maps and replaced it with Apple Maps. Now when you go to use the mapping app it will look different. The interface is a lot cleaner, some would say more sparse, and Apple has introduced a new 3D mapping Flyover feature that makes everything look like it's from the SimCity games.

Passbook

With no NFC on any Apple device, the company has turned to Passbook to help you manage tickets, store cards, and vouchers in one handy place.

No app in the UK currently supports the feature so we've been unable to test it effectively other than to see fake "demo" passes in place.

Facebook

Last year we saw Twitter being added at a system-wide level and this year Facebook gets its turn to embed itself in your phone.

Mail

Mail, Apple's email app, gets a few tweaks here and there as it tries to keep up with the constant barrage of emails you get. Introduced from Mountain Lion is VIPs. These are basically the important people in your life and the ones from whom you don't want to miss an email.

Select who you want to be a VIP and they get their own Mailbox, and VIP alerts can be set up specifically for them. That's really handy if you don't want to miss an email from the boss. Although this feature is similar to the one on OS X, it doesn't seem possible to sync the two so your VIPs are consistent. A missed opportunity, we feel.

Safari: iCloud tabs, Offline Reading Lists, and full page browsing

If you use Mountain Lion on your Mac computer then iCloud tab support now automatically syncs your browser tabs across all your iDevices, allowing you to grab any webpage you viewed in the last session. Handy if you've been surfing for something on your iPad or Safari on your desktop and want to carry on doing so on the go, or vice versa.

Do Not Disturb

You're a busy person - thanks for taking the time out to read this - and Apple knows that too. As work continues to eat into your personal life and the lines gets blurred even more, Do Not Disturb might just help. It's a system that allows you to silence calls and alerts either completely, or between a set time you've scheduled say from 10pm to 7am (great if you are travelling).

App Store

The App Store interface has been overhauled this time round with each app now getting "detail cards" that you can scroll through rather than a long list to scroll down. While the detail cards are better in getting you all the relevant details, we've found the app cards slow to navigate.

Panorama mode

Amazingly Apple hasn't until now offered an in-built panorama mode, instead letting developers create apps to fill the iPhone's shortcomings. That's now been rectified and you get panorama mode in iOS 6 that will let you snap panoramas up to 240 degrees.

Shared photo streams

Once you've snapped all these glorious pictures you can then share them with other iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV, or iPhoto users direct from the Photo Stream feature in the Photo gallery on your device. If the people you're sharing with aren’t using an Apple device, they can view your photos on the web.

Text to reject

You're in a meeting your phone rings. It's your mate wanting to know where you are for beers. Text to reject allows you to instantly reject the call with a text message to said mobile phone number and you can pre-load messages with boiler plate phrases to speed up replying even more

Privacy

With more and more apps vying for your data, whether it is your contacts, calendar, or location, giving out all that precious data willynilly probably isn't the smartest move. Apple have tightened up control of which app sees what details and added a new privacy section within iOS 6 to tell you tell apps to politely "bugger off" if you aren't too keen on sharing certain things with them.

WINDOWS PHONE 7.5

Let's face it: Windows Phone, as we know it, has an enormous amount of potential, but it's a first-generation operating system. For the first eleven months of its existence, it's lacked many of the common features we've come to enjoy (and take for granted) on Android and iOS, but then again, even those platforms have taken their turn getting the major wrinkles ironed out. So it comes as no surprise that Microsoft's mobile darling -- the innovative rebirth of a weak and faltering Windows Mobile platform that was quickly falling into obscurity -- would need to go through a similar process.

It's finally time for Steve Ballmer & Co. to unleash its major annual update (not counting NoDo here), codenamed Mango, to a litany of devices both old and new. Also known as Windows Phone 7.5, the latest build delivers an onslaught of features -- no less than 500, according to Microsoft -- many of them we've been missing dearly. Three months ago we were given the opportunity to preview the new revamp and ogle over its smattering of new capabilities (see the full list of features here), and it's only proper for us to offer a follow-up with the update's final build. So how does the completely polished version hold up against the mobile juggernauts, not to mention its own first-gen offering? Follow us below to get the

full scoop.

New Features

The features that do make an impact on your everyday Smartphone experience, however, do so in a major way. Microsoft's finally incorporating multitasking, social network integration, plenty of much-needed improvements to email and Exchange, new voice dictation features, and plenty more that we'll get into later. In short, Mango is precisely what we wish Windows Phone would've been from the beginning -- a platform that's capable of handling all of our needs, no matter how crazy they may be.

Hardware requirements

You may have noticed that almost every Windows Phone launched over the last year has been eerily similar in hardware specs, and most lack any significant customization. Microsoft exerts a lot of control over what equipment runs its star mobile OS (unlike, say, Google), and you're typically hard-pressed to find any large deviance between devices -- with the exception of handsets with physical QWERTY keyboards. None of that has changed with Mango, as Ballmer's Boys require a specific set of components.

All Windows Phone 7.5 devices will include a Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU (new devices will use 8x55 or 7x30, though existing ones that use an 8x50 CPU will be supported as well), DirectX graphics hardware support with hardware acceleration for Direct3D, a minimum of 384MB of RAM, at least 4GB of flash memory, WVGA (800 x 480) display resolution, a 3.5mm headphone jack, microUSB 2.0, WiFi 802.11 b / g support (n is optional), FM radio, Bluetooth and at least four required sensors .
User Interface

One of Mango's more impressive feats is the fact that even with its myriad new features and functionality, it's nearly indistinguishable from its predecessor if you don't know exactly what to look for. This is because Microsoft's managed to preserve the signature Windows Phone look -- also known as Metro UI -- complete with two columns of tiles on the Start screen and the full alphabetical listing of apps after a quick swipe to the left. While the size and placement of these tiles haven't changed, the content displayed within them has; many of the native tiles contain more viewable information, and even third-party apps are able to turn their small bit of real estate into a live tile capable of being updated dynamically.

Email and messaging

Finally, one of the greatest weaknesses of the platform previously -- email and messaging -- is now a strength, as Microsoft shows it can play ball with the big boys. In with Mango is a linked email inbox, which lets you combine multiple email accounts into one consolidated tile. The concept of a universal inbox is one that's been done on most mobile operating systems at this point, but Windows Phone added a twist: instead of forcing all of your email accounts into the same box, you can pick and choose exactly which ones you'd like together. Prior to Mango, the system was inefficient and inconvenient -- it used up a tile for each individual account, taking up extra space and wasting our time by making us flip through separate boxes (although if tiles are your thing, you can pin specific email folders to the Start screen so you can go directly to that folder). Needless to say, this is a mammoth improvement and one of our favorite features in Mango.

Social Network integration

If we had to pick and choose talking points for the Mango update, its ability to integrate social network content with many of the platform's other key features would be near the top of the list. In essence, your phone is now littered with plenty of ways to interact with your friends and family via Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

We weren't able to test out Twitter integration in our preview build -- unfortunate since it's also the service we use the most -- so it goes without saying that we were pretty eager to see how well it played nice with Mango in relation to Facebook. In the new update, bits and pieces of Twitter are woven into several native apps such as the Me Hub, People Hub and camera app (more on that later).

Multitasking

Another area that was half-baked when we first played with it was multitasking, the oh-so-sweet word that penetrated the hearts and souls of phone geeks everywhere when it was first announced for Mango. Its convenience is undeniable: it's immensely frustrating when we can't save our spot in a game when a phone call comes in and go directly back to that same place after the conversation is done. We get flustered when streaming internet radio and aren't able to keep the music going as we surf the web or perform other tasks on our phones. We also like to quickly switch apps without needing to go back home.

In Mango, all of these frustrations are getting rectified -- albeit slowly. The functionality is all built in so a simple long-press of the back button pulls up your most recently opened apps in a webOS-style card view (each card being a thumbnail of that particular app, which puzzles us as to why we can't actually take our own screenshots on the phone).

Marketplace

Marketplace -- as it appears on the phone -- has remained mostly unchanged since the preview build; podcasts can be downloaded directly from the device, the drop-down menu appears as you type in a Marketplace search, and the app can be accessed from the web. The Web Marketplace, as it's being called, behaves in a much similar way to the Android online Market: pick out an app or song that interests you and it will automatically install on your device. You can also witness your purchase history and reinstall any apps you may have accidentally lost or purposely deleted.

Internet Sharing

How's this for another bittersweet feature addition? Internet sharing, another way of describing the mobile hotspot feature, is now included in all new Mango devices. Let's rewind: that's right, we said allnew devices, which means all existing phones -- including our very own Samsung Focus test unit -- will remain devoid of said awesome hotspot.

Internet Explorer 9

With Mango comes Internet Explorer 9, which is greatly improved over its numeroocho because of its full support of HTML5, CSS3, SV, XHTML, DOM and others. Not only that, it throws in a faster JavaScript engine and hardware-accelerated graphics that use the phone's built-in GPU when rendering HTML5 animation or video. It also streamlines the toolbars to open up more screen space for each site, offers improved security, and runs each tab in a separate process so one site can't be responsible for crashing the entire browser.

A COMPARISON OF THE THREE OS

The single biggest revolution was when Apple launched the iPhone. Apple turned a mobile handset from a mere voice and data enabled device to a “super-cool gizmo.” So far Apple has reigned as the king of mobile. But Google’s Android has launched a volley of successful attacks on its rival, questioning the dominance of iOS. On the other hand, the newest of the three entrants, the Windows Phone, is still working on building up adoption. Some might even say it is now a three-system world, but each OS has its own benefits and challenges.

Apple’s Edge

Apple completely revolutionized the user interface of the mobile phone with its touch screen interface and set a new standard for the mobile phone experience.

Apple continues to grow as one of market leaders in handset sales. In addition to the iPhone’s sales growth, there is an army of third party developers constantly feeding the App Store. There are over 500,000 apps available and an estimated 80+ applications being pushed to the App Store every day.

Apple’s Challenges

Apple’s success is dependent on having quality applications that run on its operating system. One of Apple’s challenges is to maintain quality without alienating the developers. At times this has been difficult. Apple has often been criticized for its application submission methods and its strict acceptance policies. Developers spend countless hours and resources to develop iOS apps and rejection is not taken lightly. In addition, as a proprietary software OS, developers are often restricted in their ability to innovate.

The Rise of Android

Google’s open source approach to its Android operating system was well received by the market and is currently the main contender to iOS. Android has performed admirably since its launch and has been accepted by the masses worldwide. While these may seem obvious, the main reasons for the success of Android include:

§ Availability on more carriers

§ Installable on different hardware

§ Phones available at lower price points

§ Backed by Google which has deep pockets and a large operational support system

§ Offers an “open” alternative to Apple’s “closed-door” approach

Nightmares of Being Open

There is a fear that third-party Android phone manufactures will transform themselves from a symbol of openness and transparency to one of restriction and control. When this happens it jeopardizes the consumer’s right to install what they want, when they want, and how they want. Unfortunately, these controls have already begun. For example, my Micromax A70 with Android version 2.2.1 (Froyo) does not allow me to update the OS. How frustrating! In a way, Android openness has been compromised with these “self-imposed” restrictions.

The Birth of Windows Phone 7

In 2010, Microsoft announced the launch of Windows Phone, successor of Windows Mobile, for devices made by HTC, Dell, Samsung and LG. It was met with plenty of skepticism, but was quickly followed by a major partnership started in 2011, when Microsoft announced its partnership with Nokia making Windows Phone the primary smartphone operating system for Nokia. This is where Microsoft declared “it is now a three horse race”, suggesting competition with Android and iOS. Subsequently, Nokia launched the Lumia series of phones which, at least initially, has not done as well as expected, but indications are that it is gaining in popularity.

Windows Phone does come with some slick features –

§ Slick, touch-friendly user interface – Large, colorful and live tiles serve as shortcuts to your most-used or favorite apps or websites.

§ The People and Office Hubs – Aggregates your friends from all social networking sites letting you check status or profile updates of your friends. The Office Hub also lets you sync your documents between your phone and your PC.

§ Zune Player and Xbox Live right on Windows Phone

Challenges for Windows Phone

While Microsoft has declared themselves as the “third player” in the current mobile OS domain, it is far from being accepted by the masses. It still lacks third-party support, which is the key to pouring out apps. Windows Phone needs more apps in every genre. Microsoft needs to give developers a reason to move things over to Windows Phone.

While Apple, Android, and Windows Phone are ahead of the pack, Research in Motion still has relevancy, particularly in the enterprise. It’ll be interesting to see if the company can bounce back with the issuance of BlackBerry 10 later this year. Also keep an eye on HTML5 as a serious contender, as more developers continue to explore the benefits of web-based applications over native apps.

Seizing inspiration from the presentation and how to release the first beta version of Apple’s mobile operating system iPhone iOS 6.0, which introduced several new features within the operating system for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad, we show a comparison between this and other OS two main rivals in the field of mobile devices.

This is therefore a comparison with iPhone iOS 6.0 Android 4.x Ice Cream Sandwichdeveloped by Google and Windows Phone 7.5 Mango developed by Microsoft.

As far as we have seen the Apple presents a new operating system that introduces itself as well as the other two have suffered constant update that have improved functionality and features of their OS. So we see this interesting information showing us the features that are principal present between these three operating systems that compete for the Smartphone market today.

CONCLUSION

So, which platform is the winner here? Obviously, neither; people have different preferences and use cases in which they may find better utility or preference in one platform over the other. Really, it’s up to the customer; personally, I prefer and use Android on a daily basis. Second to that, I like the Windows Phone user-interface. And finally, iOS. Though highly appealing, I’ve never been a fan of it. So at last we feel that consumers go for the smartphone that they think satisfies them and sometimes are loyal to the brand but people have different opinions about which one is the best but for now it is a topic of debate.