The mobile industry is growing at an immense rate. Today, almost everyone owns (at least) a cellphone, and more than half of them uses smartphones and/or tablets. The device that eases communication and information transaction has made an industry that has a bright, and tight future.
Android, iOS and Windows Phone were the three pioneers in the business of mobile operating system. The three had dominance and times spreading their products to the masses with promising features, each with pros and cons. This year in 2013, the three dominant mobile operating systems are going to meet the new BlackBerry OS version 10, Firefox OS, Canonical’s Ubuntu for phone, Tizen, and Jolla's Sailfish OS.
With the many participants, the operating systems are going to highlight their own features to meet speed and usability with the advance of software technology and hardware capability, with others filling each others' weaknesses.
Android
Android, the undisputed leader of the industry, captured an impressive 70 percent share of the global smartphone market in the forth quarter of 2012, up from 51 percent a year earlier, the research firm said.
Phone manufacturers shipped an estimated 152.1 million Android smartphones globally in Q4 2012, up from 80.6 million units a year earlier. For the full year, almost half a billion Android smartphones were shipped worldwide.
"Android's challenge for 2013 will be to defend its leadership, not only against Apple, but also against an emerging wave of hungry challengers that includes Microsoft, BlackBerry, Firefox and Tizen," Neil Mawston, executive director at Strategy Analytics, said in a statement.
With Ice Cream Sandwich widely installed and Jelly Bean in a still releasing phase with version 4.2 introduced on November 2012, Android is still defending its throne against its competitors.
iOS
Apple's iOS (previously iPhone OS) is a mobile operating system released in 2007, originally for the iPhone and iPod Touch. it has been extended to support other Apple devices such as the iPad and Apple TV. Unlike Microsoft's Windows Phone (Windows CE) and Google's Android, Apple does not license iOS for installation for non-Apple hardware. As of September 12, 2012, Apple's App Store holds more than 700,000 iOS apps.
The OS is a heavy rival for Google's Android. With both conquering 92 percent share of smartphone market in the fourth quarter of 2012, Apple's iOS took 22 percent during the period. Apple grew 29 percent annually, shipping 47.8 million smartphones worldwide in Q4, and 136 million in all of 2012, according to Strategy Analytics.
Apple, best known for its premium design and simplicity in its OS interface, has released iOS 6 along its iPhone 5 in September 2012. operating system introduces a raft of new features and enhancements to Apple's iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch devices and show's the companies determination to steadily improve and control the Apple mobile experience. On January 28, 2013, version 6.1 was released with better personal assistant (Siri) integration and several upgraded features and security. The update is free and compatible with iPhone 3GS and up, iPad 2 and up, and fourth and fifth generation iPods.
Windows Phone
While the growing mobile community is expanding at an immense rate, Windows Phone popularity didn't last as long as Microsoft is expecting. The company had less than 5 percent of the world's smartphone market share as it launches its new mobile operating system, Windows Phone 8. The new firmware promises to resolve concerns surrounding hardware limitations and the platform's ecosystem, add the long-awaited features and integrate the OS with Windows 8.
This year, Microsoft wants to take on RIM's BlackBerry head-on in the enterprise market by partnering with Samsung to release Windows Phones for enterprise/business users.
"Business is very important to us - WP8 sits really well with small to medium businesses. There are a lot of BlackBerry customers that are looking at other options, the full integration with Windows 8 makes sense and is cost effective for them. Everyone will be affected by the new BlackBerry 10, it's just a question of what that effect will be. It’s a big market though and there should be enough room for both of us. From our perspective, we will be trying to stay neutral with the manufacturers. We will be doing joint stuff with Samsung, as we do with HTC and Nokia, as soon as they are ready," stated Rikke Rasmussen, Head of B2B marketing on the Windows Phone team.
Windows Phone 8 that was released on October 26th, 2012, is known for its 'Metro' style UI. In its press release, 4.4 million Nokia Lumia has been sold on the forth quarter of 2012. Nokia said that its 'Devices & Services' unit likely exceeded expectations and 'achieved underlying profitability' in the fourth quarter of 2012, as both its Mobile Phones business unit and Lumia portfolio has been "delivered better-than-expected results."
BlackBerry OS
BlackBerry OS, developed by Research in Motion (RIM), is specialized for input devices that are used in RIM's handhelds, particularly the trackwheel, trackball, and most recently, the trackpad and touchscreen. The platform is best known for its native support for corporate email, through MIDP 1.0 and, more recently, a subset of MIDP 2.0, which allows complete wireless activation and synchronization with Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Domino, or Novell GroupWise email, calendar, tasks, notes, and contacts, when used with BlackBerry Enterprise Server. The operating system also supports WAP 1.2.
After the long awaited delays, RIM has introduced its next-generation BlackBerry 10 operating system, the first new BlackBerry after a year and a half.
There are a few key features that the OS 10 is highlighting. One is BlackBerry Hub, or a central location for email, messages, and social networing updates. Another is Flow, which enables easier navigation and multitasking between apps. Another is BlackBerry Balance, which RIM hopes will win over corporate IT managers. Balance allows the device to carry two personalities, a secure one for work, and a personal one for family and friends.
Another focal point will be its improved virtual keyboard. The virtual keyboard promises to be smarter than its rival versions, and includes a second heat-map layer that remembers how its user presses the individual keys, and whether the user tend to be right or left of the actual key itself. The phone is also supposed to remember and suggest commonly used words, and words already used in the document.
Research in Motion Ltd that changed its name to BlackBerry to represent its identity, unveils two BlackBerry devices at the events in New York, Toronto, London, Paris, Dubai and Johannesburg. The devices that BlackBerry introduced are a full touchscreen device (Z10) and a full-keyboard version (Q10).
The Z10 features a 4,2in (1280x769 pixels) touchscreen, a dual-core 1.5Ghz processor, 2MB of RAM, 16GB internal storage with external slot for 32GB storage. The handset is equipped wit a back-facing 8MP camera and a 2MP camera at the front. The Q10 on the other hand, is equipped with a QWERTY keyboard with 3.1in (720x720 pixels) touchscreen display. Both devices are NFC capable. BlackBerry 10 currently has 70,000 apps, the most applications are available during launch, the company said. Applications can be written in HTML5, and take advantage of technologies like WebGL. The company is targeting 100,000 apps by March 2013.
The interest level surrounding BlackBerry has picked up considerably, especially during the moment until the release of the OS version 10. Investors seem willing to bet on the company - its shares have more than doubled in the past six months. There are many observers that still don't believe the BlackBerry 10 will save the company, at the day of its launch, the company's stock dropped 12 percent ($13.78). Despite the rumors and pessimism, the company is aiming to deliver what BlackBerry was expected to do years ago, and compete in the market, especially among executives and corporate enterprises that once saw the Canadian company as one to rely on.
"Re-designed. Re-engineered. Re-invented." With now just about 4.6 percent of the global market for smartphones in 2012, BlackBerry exchanged dominance for survival mode. The company introduced the BlackBerry 10 as its hope to restore its glory.
Firefox OS (Boot to Gecko)
Firefox OS (project name: Boot to Gecko, or B2G) is an Linux-based open source operating system for smartphones and tablet computers by Mozilla. It is designed to allow HTML5 applications to integrate directly with the device's hardware using JavaScript.
On January 22, 2013, Mozilla and a Spanish phonemaker, Geeksphone, announced the first two Firefox OS developer preview handsets - the Keon and the Peak. Both models are made and sold to only to developers. Mozilla said that the Firefox OS is being built for low-power, low-cost hardware for first-time smartphone buyers in emerging markets. These aren’t built to be iPhone, or even Nokia Windows Phone, rivals.
The Keon is shown off with a bright orange chassis, powered by Qualcomm’s 1GHz Snapdragon S1 processor - a chipset that made its debut in 2008. It features 512MB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage with microSD card slot for expanded storage available. The handset that is 3.5-inch touchscreen with a resolution of 480×320 pixel display, will run on 2G and 3G networks. There’s also a 3-megapixel rear camera but no front-facing camera.
The Peak is a little larger with its 4.3-inch 960×540 pixel display. The device uses Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon S4 processor, 3G and 2G connectivity, a back-facing 8-megapixel camera and at the front, a 2-megapixel camera. With 512MB of RAM, the handset has the same 4GB internal storage with microSD slot available.
"The introduction of the open mobile OS continues the Mozilla mission to promote openness, innovation and opportunity on the web for users and developers. As billions of users are expected to come online for the first time in the coming years, it is important to deliver a compelling smartphone experience that anyone can use," said Gary Kovacs, CEO of Mozilla Corporation. "The large number of operators and manufacturers now supporting this effort will bring additional resources and diversity to our global offerings."
The Firefox OS is an open-source that is a heavily web-dependent mobile operating system. Mozilla hasn’t announced availability of the devices yet beyond a general February release, or how they will be distributed, but on Firefox OS App Days, Mozilla allows developers to come together to learn Firefox OS, hack and create apps for the platform.
Ubuntu for Phone
With all-native core apps and no Java overhead, Ubuntu for smartphones is built to run well on entry-level smartphones with drivers that also powers Android handsets. From the unusual ‘welcome screen’ to its multitasking capabilities, Ubuntu on a phone was designed to be different than any of its rivals on the market. The OS starts by greeting the user with a fluid, flowery pattern that displays app information, changing in response to the number of missed calls or social network notifications.
The interface doesn’t employ hardware keys, or software keys for that matter, relying instead on innovative swipe controls. The OS introduces the Unity application launcher where the user has to swipe across the phone from the left edge of the screen. To switch between running applications, the same motion is executed from the right edge.
Swiping from the top edge of the screen gives the user instant access to the system settings and services, without the need for users to exit the currently running application. Swiping from the bottom brings up application-specific settings and features.
Swiping from the edges of the screen has been a much-noted feature of another recent OS, Windows 8. The home screen is divided into separate panels, each dedicated to a certain function. There’s one for applications, contacts, music, video and messages. Social network integration can be found almost anywhere on the interface.
"We adopted Unity as our own UI framework because we wanted more control over the design and felt that Ubuntu would be relevant for a number of different device types," explained Collins, product manager for Ubuntu mobile. "Essentially," he says, "Canonical’s Marmite-like UI was cross-platform by design."
The phone version of the OS will support both HTML5 apps written for smartphones in general, as well as the native apps specific to Ubuntu, developed using QML, OpenGL and C++. Essential tools, such as Gallery and Notepad will be native, and provide better performance and advanced features.
Apps will be available through the Ubuntu app store. It will be operated by Canonical, but according to Collins, the company will never use it as a tool to control the ecosystem.
Canonical’s founder, Mark Shuttleworth previously said that mobile Ubuntu will serve two very different purposes at the same time: it will provide better performance on ‘lean’, entry-level smartphones, while at the same time extending and enriching the functionality of 'superphones', which will be able to transform into PCs.
Shuttleworth’s vision is a single OS, for any and all devices. It’s certainly a realistic idea, considering the fact that Linux fridges are not even a novelty anymore, and the Linux-running Raspberry Pi is getting the next generation of programmers to love open source.
Ubuntu does not require top-of–the-line hardware. The OS was used and tested flawlessly on Samsung Galaxy Nexus. The device is selected because the Nexus is a platform which is reliable and standardized.
According to Collins, the first smartphones running Ubuntu will start shipping before the end of this year. Since Ubuntu uses the same set of Linux drivers as Android, theoretically, any mobile chip running Google’s OS could easily supports it.
Tizen
Samsung's collaboration with the EFL project and Carsten Haitzler was known as LiMo for years. It was renamed Tizen when Intel joined the project in September 2011 after leaving the MeeGo project. On January 1, 2012, the LiMo Foundation was renamed Tizen Association, and works closely with the Linux Foundation which supports the Tizen open source project.
Tizen's is creating an open ecosystem which is compatible with Firefox OS and all web browsers. The Core Mobile Web Platform Community Group (Coremob) brings developers, equipment manufacturers, browser vendors and operators together to agree on core features developers can depend on.
Of pre-release systems, Tizen's WebKit-based browser ranks the highest on HTML5 standards tests. HTML5 applications run on Tizen, Firefox OS and WebOS without a browser and offline. Each manufacturer or operator will have its own user interface developed with EFL, and every Linux project benefits from the Tizen open source drivers.
Tizen is an operating system made by the collaboration of Intel and Linux Foundation, a re-write from MeeGo's kernel. The integration between Tizen and Bada made apps created using Bada's Software Development Kit (SDK) can run on Tizen. Android applications can also run on Tizen devices using OpenMobile's ACL. Qt, GTK+ and EFL ]
On April 30, 2012, Tizen released version 1.0, code-named Larkspur. The next month, Tizen has made partnership with Sprint Nextel, an American wireless carrier.
On May 7, 2012, American wireless carrier Sprint Nextel announced it had agreed to become part of the Tizen Association and plans to include Tizen-powered devices in their future lineup. On September 25, Tizen released version 2.0 alpha, code-named Magnolia. Tizen 2.0 and its first devices will be available in the first quarter of 2013.
Sailfish OS
Sailfish OS is a Linux-based mobile operating system developed by Jolla Mobile for use in its upcoming smartphones and intended for more than mobile devices. It is based on MeeGo and Mer.
After Nokia left MeeGo for Windows Phone, the developer teams at MeeGo formed Jolla Mobile with the ambition to create a mobile OS that is able to go mainstream based on the MeeGo platform.
The Sailfish OS and the Sailfish SDK are based on the core and the tools of the Mer operating system core, which is a revival of the core of the MeeGo project of Nokia, Intel, and Linux Foundation among others. Sailfish includes a multitasking user interface that Jolla intends to use to differentiate its smartphones from others and as a competitive advantage against devices that run Google's Android or Apple's iOS.
The Mer project provides a functional core Linux stack but without any UI and without any hardware adaptation: Mer does not provide a system kernel. The Mer-based Linux distribution Nemo provides a functional UI framework and it has its own UI and application set that is compatible with Sailfish. However, Nemo applications are not at the moment included in Sailfish OS and the UI is radically different.
Jolla reported that Sailfish will be compatible with Android apps with its built-in Alien Dalvik layer from Myriad Group, known for running Android apps on Nokia N9. Many Android applications will run on Jolla devices unchanged. To take advantage of all UI and other features of Sailfish OS and make applications fast they may need porting to native Qt/QML, there are extensive guides available on porting to Qt/QML. The same refers to using MeeGo, including MeeGo Harmattan, applications on Jolla devices.
Although Sailfish has been presented first for mobile use with upcoming smartphones by Jolla, as a continuation of MeeGo and using Mer core and the open source philosophy behind them both, it is also an OS for general purposes including devices such as smart televisions, computers, laptops, netbooks, tablets, navigations, cameras, household devices of many kinds, for automotive in cars and IVI, for sailing purposes in yachts and boats, and others. The Sailfish Linux OS in the same way as the MeeGo and the Mer projects it is not limited to use in mobiles only, but can be used with other forms of consumer electronics.
Jolla's Sailfish OS also works on tablet. Jolla managers said in November 2012 that "we could see a Sailfish tablet, but Jolla itself will, in this first wave, concentrate on a smartphone."
Sailfish OS will be released at the end of the year 2013. Although created from a small company with limited marketing budget when compared to its competitors, Jolla Mobile with its capability to run Android apps beside its own, could certainly stand the chance it the competition.
Conclusion
The competition that made some failed to compete (Windows Phone 7, Nokia's MeeGo, WebOS and HP's Linux based OS among others), has made people see new contenders with pessimism. Jussi Hurmolla from Jolla Mobile, a former Nokia executive, answered that the market has always been between a race between two dominant race horses, but when we see closely, the two always switch positions. This can be seen from RIM and Palm. The tech evolution is moving fast, and so as the market. Even product category may come and go.
Mobile operating system competition has reached a point where fulfilling the market's demand is no longer seen as a priority. The competition is now getting more about how to deliver something useful, more than others, even when the features are not yet in need, by pulling all their resources in software technology and hardware capability to their limits. And in 2013, the market is going to see the war between closed source and open source, up to a whole new level.