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FIRST, there were just plain cell phones (now designated “feature” phones), designed to simply place telephone calls away from home or office. Then, quite quickly, so-called “smart phones” came along. These phones combined the best elements of PDA’s (personal digital assistants) such as cameras, calendars, large color screens, e-mail and the like. Presently, smart phones are morphing into mini-computers, with larger high-resolution screens, swipe keyboards, faster processors and more memory, GPS and hot-spot capabilities and much, much more.
Along with all of this evolution, the software systems which operate these smart phones have taken on an importance all their own. With basic cell phones, all you had to worry about was selecting a relatively generic carrier, along with a pricing plan that considered your basic needs (lots of local calls, long distance needs, etc.). Smart phones have many more capabilities, so you have to select a software operating system that suits as many of those needs as possible. Want to play games or surf the net while speaking on the phone, an Apple may be better for you than, perhaps an Android, which will offer you free GPS or hot-spot capability. Or, if you require corporate security and Outlook ability, you may need a Blackberry.
Making the purchase decision much more complicated is the issue of the phone itself. Each phone manufacturer (e.g. Samsung, HTC, Motorola) has different features hard-wired into the phone itself, regardless of the entire list of features offered in any given operating system. So you have to choose a phone, an operating system and a carrier as a system which suits you. Depending on the hardware, it may run various versions of the O/S, but also have limitations (the iPhone 4 can do more than the iPhone 3; the Android 3.0 can do more than the Android 2.5; some phones can use the 3G systems, while some can go on the faster 4G system; some can read QR codes, others can’t; some can run Microsoft Exchange, some can run Outlook, some can’t run either. In some cases, your phone’s O/S (“firmware”) can be updated to accommodate the newer O/S and features, while in other cases you’ll need to get a new or different phone. And that doesn’t even take into account the various emerging protocols (technologies) over which the phones operate (see below for links). Whew!
Here’s a brief summary of the operating systems and their advantages:
Apple OS: Characteristically, Apple uses iTunes to sync its devices, so that you can sync between your iPad, iPhone and iPod. But, if you don’t like being tethered to the net and going through only one provider for everything, it can become irksome. If you need Flash, forget it, can’t get it. No video recording, either. But if you want gazillions of apps (many of which you may use exactly once), a slick user interface, flawless customer support, Apple is tops. [Available on Apple iPhones only.]
Android: Developed by the folks at Google, it’s now the number one operating system for smart phones. And, it’s open source, which means that anybody can write an app for the smart phone, even you. Of course, since it’s not controlled by a single company like Apple, you’ve got a lot of unofficial programs, and quality control isn’t as good. On an Android phone, turn-by-turn GPS come standard, and most phones sport their use as a Wi-Fi hotspot, so you can connect to the Internet through your phone. [Available on Motorola Droid, HTC, Nexus phones.]
Blackberry: If you work for a company concerned with security, this is the answer. If you must use Microsoft Exchange or Outlook and don’t want to search for somewhat useful apps, this is what you need. But it isn’t intended to jump through hoops - this phone is fairly utilitarian compared to the others and concentrates on providing a secure and solid messaging experience. [Available only on Blackberry phones.]
Windows Mobile: Made by Microsoft, of course, this operating system is also excellent for business users, particularly those who run the proprietary Microsoft business apps like Office (Outlook). The newest version has received excellent reviews.
WebOS/Palm Pre: These operating systems pretty much mimic the Apple iPhone, using the Internet to connect many of its features and apps through a slick interface. Known for being pretty zippy and responsive, but not many apps. [Available on Palm phones.]
Symbian: Since this Nokia operating system was recently purchased by Microsoft, and didn’t have much presence in the U.S. anyway, it’s pretty much been put to rest, not worth even discussing. [Available on Nokia phones.]
CROSS LINKS TO VARIOUS PROTOCOLS OR TECHNOLOGIES: G, 3g, LTE, UMTS, EVDO, CDMA, HSDPA, WIMAX.
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