OS wars: Android clubs the life out of Windows, iOS and BB10!

Android RULES! Windows, iOS BB10 lag behind.

Technology rules our lives today. And the credit goes to the revolution in electronic gadgets that now remote control us. The first thing we do after waking up is check our smartphones for any important messages or mails. We forget our breakfast before leaving for work, but carrying our mobiles and laptops never slip from our memory. This amply shows the impact of technology on our minds and work.

One such ubiquitous device that has made its presence felt in our lives is the smartphone. It is a state-of-the-art device that has occupied a special place in our hearts and minds, the credit for which should go to the operating systems that control the functionality of these droids and make them stand out in the crowd.

We all know that more than 60 per cent of the smartphones run on Android operating system followed by iOS, BlackBerry OS and then, Windows. Though there are many operating systems available in the market today, the real competition is among Google's Android, Microsoft's Windows, Apple's iOS and BlackBerry OS.

Lets take a closer look at why each of these have their followers:

User accessibility

User accessibility, which can also be termed as user friendliness, means how easy it is to understand the OS and how comfortable, lean and sharp the learning curve is.

Considering all these factors, Windows comes first followed by Android, iOS and BlackBerry OS, but the downfall in the Windows platform led to the increase in demand for other operating systems.

For the first-time users, Windows is an ideal platform to deal with, as it is easy to use and operate, whereas, Android is a bit difficult to handle on its own.

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Apple's iOS as well as BlackBerry OS, on the other hand, require a good amount of information and guidance of the experts before using them.

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The BBM feature in BlackBerry, which is its only edge over other platforms, has still maintained the aura of BB in the market.

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User interface

It acts as a medium between the user and software, making things pretty much easier and simpler than before.

Every operating system has its own user interface and some mobile manufacturing companies do provide their own interface like HTC, Samsung, etc, but still this linking bridge too plays a vital role in making an operating system best among others.

Android, no doubt, has very wide interface with ample number of choices at one's fingertips along with customised features, while at second place, resides iOS with its standardised functions.

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The user interface of iOS is based on the concept of direct manipulation with the help of multi-touch gestures and features like swipe, pinch, tap, reverse pinch, switching between the homescreen panes and lot more.

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These features are very comfortable to use, whereas, BlackBerry OS interface is perfect for business purpose where access to mails etc., is smooth and fast without any lag.

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The windows lacks such functionalities and with excess usage, tends to hang up or be rebooted, a major drawback indeed.

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Application management

This is an area where Google's Android and Apple's iOS have an upper hand over other platforms.

The latest version in Android is 4.2 Jelly Bean that gives support to more than 7,50,000 applications available at the Google Play Store, while the newer version of Apple OS, that is, iOS 7 provides access to nearly 9,00,000 applications.

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In the applications game, Windows platform is left far behind with near about 70,000 applications in hand, whereas, BlackBerry has played very smart by allowing third parties and Android applications to run on its tablets and latest smartphones based on BB 10 platform. 

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Though one cannot modify Android apps, their accessibility via BlackBerry OS is a big step for the company.

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Gaming capabilities

Without any doubt, Apple iOS is the winner in this department as the platform holds ample number of 3D, 2D and many more games that are not compatible with other operating systems.

After iOS, comes Android OS in this segment with loads of games in the bag like Temple Run, Subway Surfers, Candy Crush Saga, Hill Climb Racing, etc.

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Being a business-purpose operating system, BlackBerry OS does not pay much focus on the gaming capabilities of the device, so if you are a gaming freak, then BlackBerry is not a good option for you. 

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Windows, on the other side, supports Java and other third party games, but the features supported are not that advanced, which you will witness in Android and iOS.

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Market adaptability and share

Presently, Android platform has 56.5 per cent share in the global market followed by 39.6 per cent of Apple's iOS 7, 3.3 per cent of Windows, and 2.90 per cent of BlackBerry OS. Although, Android has witnessed a drastic growth in demand as compared to last year's data, other operating systems have faced a decline in their demand.

The market demand for Android OS is increasing day by day, and seeing its magical growth in the past one year, there will be no harm in stating that Android will soon become the king in the worldwide market.

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