Smartphones are now largely classified according to the operating systems they run.
To those not familiar with the term smartphone operating system, it is a term implying a set of instructions that manages your smartphone’s hardware and software resources.
A mobile operating system running on a smartphone is similar to the Windows operating system that is commonly found on desktops and laptops.
There are five common types of operating systems. They include;
Android
Android is currently the most popular mobile operating system and it runs on just over 80% of smartphones on the planet. The OS is owned by Google but is open-source meaning that you do not have to pay to use it.
Smartphone vendors create variations of the Android OS via the use of a custom user interface. This variation is the reason why the same version Android OS running on a Samsung smartphone looks completely different from that running on let’s say a HTC or Tecno Smartphone.
iOS
The iOS is the second largest smartphone operating system in the world. iOS is owned by Apple and thus unlike Android, can only be found on Apple devices.
iOS is closed and therefore, Apple dictates a lot what you can do with it.
Blackberry
The Blackberry OS is one oldest smartphone operating systems. The OS is owned by Blackberry and thus can only be used on Blackberry smartphones.
Blackberry however, licenses features of the OS and thus you can find aspects of the Blackberry operating system in some smartphones.
It is worthy to note that Blackberry now has a smartphone that runs the Android Operating System.
Windows Phone OS
The Windows Phone OS is a mobile variant of the Windows Operating system.
The OS is closed and is owned by Microsoft. However, Microsoft provides licenses to use the operating system and thus smartphone vendors such as Huawei and Nokia use it on their smartphones.
Tizen
Tizen is an upcoming open source operating system owned by Samsung. Samsung spearheads the use of the Tizen OS to minimize its heavy dependence on the Android OS.
The smartphone is an upcoming one but has been doing very well, so well that it is now at a higher spot than the Blackberry OS.
Firefox OS
The Firefox OS is designed by Mozilla to run on Smartphones and Tablets.
The Firefox OS runs on a limited number of devices such as the Orange Klif smartphone.
Kevin is a tech enthusiast and the lead writer at MobiTrends.co.ke. He has been writing about smartphones and tech related topics since October 2012. About Us | Contact Us
