OS: The new battleground for smartphone manufacturers?

Posted: 18 March 2009

With an increasing number of smartphones heading to the market, consumers are now not just faced with a choice of handset features, styles and networks - they must also see which operating system (OS) is going to be right for them.

Although there are only a few choices to make, growth in the top-end mobile phone market - in line with some new OS contenders introduced in the last couple of years - means it is looking increasingly likely user interfaces and integrated software systems will be a major selling point for many people.

There is no doubt some of the big players in the industry will be aware of this and, in fact, many are upgrading phones and software to make sure they are future-proofed for the demands of users in the months and years to come.

Nokia and Microsoft are perhaps two of the largest companies in the field, with the former's Symbian technology being attached to its new flagship models and the latter continually developing new versions of its Windows Mobile system for use with phones like the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1.

Of course, these two providers are not alone in this new battleground. The success of the Apple iPhone 3G and its predecessor have helped established its manufacturer in the field. Online content from the firm's App Store - which earlier this year hit the 500 million downloads mark - has also ensured this level of success could continue well into the future, provided young upstart OS' - such as Google Android and Palm webOS - are not allowed to spoil the party.

Android is the long-awaited entry into the market from the world's most popular search engine. Launched last year following endless rumours about a special phone that would be built by the firm itself, Android has so far only appeared on one handset.

Incorporated into the T Mobile G1, the system is part of an open source network where developers can write their own compatible code and resources for use with phones that use the Google OS. At the time of its launch alongside the T Mobile G1, PC Advisor was quick to put the software - and its associated applications - to the test, concluding it could have a bright future in the same way as the Apple system.

"Google Android is an exciting development in the world of mobile operating systems. It's not so much what it can do right now, as what the world's application developers can create when they get their hands on the code," the article said.

A third contender for the crown of top OS also appears to have emerged with the rebirth of the Palm brand. The company seems to have been planning a big return to the portable device sector for some time, having originally been the popular choice for PDA systems in the past and having had some success with Windows Mobile-based mobile phones.

This year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas gave the company the opportunity to show of its new Palm webOS software, which it stated would be launched in the first half of 2009 with the new Palm Pre device. The manufacturer promised the system would be "a brand-new kind of platform, invented exclusively for mobile use".

Ed Colligan, Palm president and chief executive officer, commented: "Palm products have always been about simplifying lives and delivering great user experiences." He added webOS would continue this commitment by bringing "game-changing simplicity to an increasingly mobile world".

"It is technology that seems like its thinking ahead to bring you what you care about most - your people, your time and your information - in the easiest and most seamless way," Mr Colligan concluded.

Among the features of the OS are Palm Synergy - which brings together calendars, contacts, messaging applications and other items into one synchronised place - and a multi-touch interface that has been especially designed to maximise the various aspects of the new phone.

However, although Palm may appear to be stepping away from the Microsoft OS, the company has recently upgraded its offering - and in Windows Mobile 6.1, it claims to have made a number of major improvements. Among these enhancements, the software company has stated phones equipped with the new version can expect instant messaging that has more in common with texting, as well as better internet browsing with Explorer, a more user-friendly email and Bluetooth setup, a brand new home interface, more security, simpler Wi-Fi connectivity and further personalisation options.

Mobile phones confirmed by Microsoft to be fully compatible with the revised 6.1 version of Windows Mobile include the Palm Treo Pro, Sony Ericsson Xperia X1, HTC's Touch Pro, Fuze, Diamond and Shadow, Samsung's Omnia, Epix and Saga, the LG Incite and the HP iPAQ 900 Series Business Messenger.

Not one to be left behind, Nokia announced the completion of its acquisition of Symbian Limited in December last year, bringing its plans to create a Symbian Foundation with companies including AT&T, LG, Motorola, Samsung, Sony Ericsson and Vodafone. Since then the Finnish manufacturer has been working on ways to keep the software as fresh and up-to-date as possible. Recent reports even suggest a new version could be released every six months, keeping Nokia users - including those buying the much-anticipated N97 - ahead of the OS curve.

Last month, Mobile Phone Reviews said the Nokia N97 was as stylish as any other model the manufacturer had released in the past and added it looked as if it would also not let anyone down in terms of entertainment and business applications. In addition to the full qwerty keyboard, "well proportioned size" and weight, integrated five-megapixel camera with Car Zeiss Tessar lens and 3G support, the site concluded the Symbian OS and its associated software would be a big selling point for some.

"The Nokia N97 comes with a great selection of applications which include … Symbian S60 5th Edition Software, Nokia Maps with compass and a GPS receiver along with a whole host of other tools to make [life] a little easier."


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