Priyanka Joshi in Mumbai
A smartphone needs a smart operating system. Here's what you should keep in mind while getting yours.
There are five main mobile operating systems (OS); each claiming superiority over the other. Arguably, options are always good for users but with mobile phones it means making a confusing choice between the latest devices in the market and going by someone's recommendation. Here's what you should consider before getting your OS.
The Budget Symbian OS
Symbian OS (with Belle update) is best experienced on the new Nokia 701. The Nokia 701 comes with a solid hardware upgrade. The 1GHz CPU, with 512MB RAM, encompasses a lot more than the relatively lighter Symbian OS is accustomed to.
Nokia faced stiff competition from Android devices as well as Apple in 2010-11. But it is catching up with devices like 701 and an upgraded OS.
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Buying a smartphone? First, know its operating system
What's good?
The key elements of the Belle update bring a new homescreen and menu to the device, updated native apps and an interface that's quite intuitive. Belle brings new enhancements and tweaks making it more "Android-like" than ever.
Symbian OS now follows the same basic user interface principles that have made Google and Apple so popular.
This includes quick access to settings and notifications from a menu hidden at the top of the screen. Nokia has ditched folders within the applications' menu pages and on a 1Ghz or more processor, the OS really flies.
Why invest in Symbian OS
Symbian fans would know the simplicity of the system is hard to get over. New features like NFC support allow pairing with headphones, speakers and advertising billboards and content sharing with just a tap. What does the future hold for Symbian? Rumours suggest that at least two more updates are in the offing that are billed as Symbian Carla and Symbian Donna.
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Buying a smartphone? First, know its operating system
Apple IOS
Apple's latest upgrade, the new iOS 5 is not truly new, but delivers a better of way of doing things on your smartphone.
What's good?
In iOS 5, Apple has finally redesigned the system. So, one no longer needs to dock an iOS device to a PC before using it. You can continue using the device - be it iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch - without connecting it to a PC, assuming you embrace Apple's iCloud service.
This free service provides 5GB space for calendar, contacts and documents that are pushed across iOS devices linked with a single Apple ID.
Another noticeable feature is the iMessage (just like BlackBerry's BBM), an instant messaging service built into iOS 5. As long as you've got someone's Apple ID email address, you can start pinging them instant messages without having to send a network SMS. For the iPhone and the iPad, iOS 5 now supports private browsing in the browser that you can switch on and off via the settings.
Why invest in iOS 5?
Yes, iOS5 is like Android and Windows Phone 7 but it still has the original touchscreen, with an app store that has the most innovative apps. The iOS is intuitive and gives a level of customisation that is impossible on other OSes.
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Buying a smartphone? First, know its operating system
Photographs: Reuters
Android OS
Android's open source allows you to slap a circuit board into a polycarbonate case and spin out their own phone. The latest version of the OS, 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update, merges Android on phones and tablets.
What's good?
Samsung Galaxy series, Motorola Xoom and HTC devices have actively launched smartphones powered by Android OS and are extremely popular.
A noticeable inclusion in the latest version is a new font called Roboto designed for the new HD displays on mobile devices. There is an interesting face unlock feature where Android 4.0 can use the built-in facial recognition technology to recognise user and unlock the device. Widgets on homescreen are similar to Honeycomb (older Android version) — they are interactive, scrollable and can be resized, too.
Why invest in Android OS?
Android is an open system and handset manufacturers love the platform. In other words, expect affordable Android handsets to flood the market. The freedom the platform gives in terms of unlocked & free apps is good enough reason to bring in younger customers.
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Buying a smartphone? First, know its operating system
Photographs: Reuters
Windows OS
Windows phone OS works on an active sync principle, where it allows users to get live updates from chats, emails and messages in one program or view. Microsoft Office is a built-in feature which allows users to view or edit documents, spreadsheets and Powerpoint pages on their smartphones, just like on their PCs.
What's good?
There's some amount of variety as far as Windows phones are concerned. HTC, Samsung and now Nokia are building promising hardware around the new OS. Samsung Omnia W, Nokia Lumia 800 and HTC Radar & Mozart bring out the best in Window's phone platform.
Windows Phone 7 presents a replicable experience across the phone - that is, most things work in a similar way to each other. For instance, long-press most icons will call up a menu with options such as deleting, editing or pinning to the Start menu.
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Buying a smartphone? First, know its operating system
Wherever there are option icons at the bottom of the screen, you can swipe upwards to get more options.
Microsoft has incorporated multitasking, social network integration, lots of improvement to email and Exchange and new voice dictation features.
Business users will like the latest update to Windows platform included access to SkyDrive (cloud storage) that allows user to sync documents.
Why invest in Windows OS
The Nokia-Windows phone sports some striking apps and pre-loaded content that comes from the media library of the Finnish giant. With Lumia, Nokia proves that it has taken Windows Phone to a new level. Its Lumia 800 integrates hardware with Nokia-developed software that gives the OS an edge.
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Buying a smartphone? First, know its operating system
BlackBerry OS
Besides being a trusted business phone, BlackBerry devices are known for their simple and straightforward features.
The three new BlackBerry OS 7 devices may not look drastically different from their predecessor but they are very different as far as the software goes.
What's good?
The new Torch 9810 runs on the OS 7 and has several updated user interface elements that are touch friendly. RIM claims to have paired a new 1.2GHz processor and 768MB of RAM with something called 'Liquid Graphics'.
In simple words, as far the performance is concerned, OS 7 and the updated hardware have resulted in a much more responsive phone.
A big plus is the fact that even with the new and improved performance, battery life hasn't taken a big hit on new OS7 devices. The OS 7 has evolved to support faster browsing, loading, and online viewing with HTML5.
Why invest in BlackBerry OS?
For those coming from previous BlackBerry handsets, OS 7 is still near enough to the old operating system for you to get to grips with fairly simply.
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