War of Mobile OSes

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean vs iOS 6 vs Windows Phone 8

In today’s world, one not only buys a phone on the basis of hardware but takes into account the operating system. As we know technology changes every moment, therefore stepping out of the current version available of Apple’s, Google’s and Microsoft’s operating systems, I will be making the comparison of Apple’s iOS6, Google’s Android 4.1 named Jelly Beans and Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8. Therefore, which one is best among these, here is the comparison:

Aesthetics

Apple’s iOS is considered to be one of the most user friendly and evolved OS, having said that barring few minor visual changes it has come to, well let’s just say, standstill visually.^{[1] [2]} I love that in Jelly beans personalization is only restricted to one’s imagination and yeah his/her wallet with plethora of launchers and weights .^[3][4] The new Windows Phone 8 is more customisable than before, thanks to tiles you can resize into three pre-determined sizes, depending on how much information you want a tile to convey. ^[5][6]

Functionality and Performance

We all know the looks though matters but are just skin deep now coming to an important aspect what all new functions are included and how the device perform in this new iteration

 “Project Butter” describes a new Google initiative to offer Android users a faster, more responsive OS starting with Jelly Bean by optimizing hardware usage, improving overall user experience and prolonging battery life .Many new features are included and updated effectively like Android Beam, Expandable Notifications app, Google wallet, Google Maps offline support (i.e. in certain countries at first), Google Search now what’s new in that! Well it takes into account all the data Google has about you to offer tailored, automatic responses based on Search and triggered by daily activities.^[7]Other major updated features include touch-based and its voice-based typing (dictation) , better faster camera app, additional voice and video calling features,you get integrated social networks like Facebook, Twitter, Dropbox, Picasa, its own Google+, and more, redesigned theGoogle Play store experience.^[8]

Apple comes with many great new features and as always enhancing the user end experience .So what’s is in iOS 6! , Siri is now available in more languages and support variety of other features, Facebook has been integrated this time twitter was integrated in iOS5^[9], Passbook is a mobile wallet that keeps your debit cards, credit cards, tickets, Shared Photo Streams app , Apple in this outing has ditched Google map and introduced their own map app which will have 3D support, noticeable updates can also be found in phone app, safari, mail and other  200+  changes which although are small but make big difference in user experience .^[1][10]

Microsoft’s windows phone 7 is considered to be a big improvement over its pervious 6.5 and now its turn of windows phone 8. Starting with WP8, the company will support dual-core and multi-core processors, two extra screen resolutions (1280 x 768 and 1280 x 720) and micro SD memory expansion which will increase the performance.^[11] It includes variety of new features like Microsoft is creating its own Wallet Hub in WP8, security tool Enterprise, WP8 will have some cross platform elements from Windows 8 will give boost to gamming and other apps, Bing maps also available offline ,Facebook and twitter integrated, NFC support. Microsoft have small but rapidly expanding App store.^[12]

Verdict

Considering the Apps, Jelly beans and iOS6 have edge over WP8 as both have more apps. Apps looks a bit mature in iOS than Android and hence iOS wins in app front. WP8 missed few tricks that other two OSes have able to pull (like on basic phone app in iOS you can not only accept or reject call but can send personalize response, do not distribute and can send reminders).^[11]

Success of a OS also depend on how will they update the existing devices. This is a problem with Android and Microsoft as in Android updates come in slow and painful manner as seen with ICS and jelly beans will also follow same path, Microsoft’s WP8 is not backward compatible with existing WP devices whereas in case of apple it is not much of a problem as update will come to all iPhone after iPhone 3GS, iPod4G, iPad2 and the new iPad simultaneously.^[12]

On the sheet and in world where money doesn't matter iOS6 seems to win but speaking of real world Android have edge over iOS6 and WP8. Tell me what you think!

References:

[1](“Apple - iOS 6 - iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch get 200+ new features.,”

       URL: http://www.apple.com/ios/whats-new/)

[2](“Apple iOS 6 review: Moving forward - GSMArena.com,”                            http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_ios_6_review-review-821.php)

[3](“Android - Android 4.1, Jelly Bean,” URL: http://www.android.com/about/jelly-bean/)

[4](“Jelly Bean | Android Community,” URL: http://androidcommunity.com/tag/jelly-bean/)

[5](“Windows Phone 8 review: Str8 up - GSMArena.com,” URL: http://www.gsmarena.com/windows_phone_8-review-839.php)

[6](“Windows Phone 8 review | Operating systems Reviews | TechRadar,” URL: http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/software/operating-systems/windows-phone-8-1086692/review)

[7](“Android 4.1: Jelly Bean review | Operating systems Reviews | TechRadar,” URL: http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/software/operating-systems/android-4-1-jelly-bean-1087230/review)

[8](“Android 4.1 Jelly Bean: When is it coming to my phone? - Pocket-lint,” URL: http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/46277/jelly-bean-when-update-coming)

[9](“iOS 6 review | Operating systems Reviews | TechRadar,” URL: http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/software/operating-systems/ios-6-1096515/review)

[10](“iOS 6 Review: The Highs, The Lows, And Everything In Between | TechCrunch,” URL: http://techcrunch.com/2012/09/19/ios-6-review-the-highs-the-lows-and-everything-in-between/)

[11](“iOS 6 vs Jelly Bean vs Windows Phone 8,” URL: http://tech2.in.com/features/smartphones/ios-6-vs-jelly-bean-vs-windows-phone-8/322972)

[12](“Android 4.1 Jelly Bean vs iOS 6 vs Windows Phone 8 - The Ultimate Comparison | Redmond Pie,” URL: http://www.redmondpie.com/android-4.1-jelly-bean-vs-ios-6-vs-windows-phone-8-the-ultimate-comparison/)