Apple iOS 5 is here.
Cupertino's mobile operating system brings advanced, centralized notifications,
cable-free setup, wireless iTunes syncing, and other enticing features to the
iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. It's certainly attractive software, but it isn't
the only new smartphone OS packing a wealth of goodies; Android 2.3
Gingerbread, Windows Phone 7.5 Mango, and BlackBerry 7 OS are also very
competent competitors.
Using the recent Apple
iOS 5 release as the baseline, we've highlighted several of the operating
system's most exciting features and compared them to its rivals. Below we've
charted the results as simply as possible, but be advised there are nuances to
particular comparisons. For example, in all cases there are plenty of
third-party apps that may fill in gaps found in the base operating systems.
Furthermore, when it comes to Android, OEMs tend to skin the phones (albeit
with mixed results), often adding additional functionality to the stock version
of Android. In order for any sort of comparison to work, we're looking at what
potential smartphone purchasers get out of the box on stock versions of each
mobile OS. Yes, all of these OSes can be expanded with downloadable apps; no,
that's not the point of this story. Check out the table first, and then take a
look at our explanations of each category and the caveats that go with it.
Please note: Apple iOS
5 is only compatible with certain iOS devices. These are iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4,
iPhone 4S, iPad, iPad 2, and iPod touch (third and fourth generations). iPhone,
iPhone 3G, and iPod touch (first and second generations) are not compatible.
Unified Notifications
When it comes to
unified notification systems, Apple's newly-minted Notification Center bears
quite a resemblance to that of Android. As with Android, iOS 5 lets you access
notifications from the lock screen or, when using the phone, pull down a tray
of notifications from the top of the screen. Blackberry 7 OS pins updates to
the home screen. Windows 7.5 Mango uses live tiles, which is a bit less
unified, but works within the context of the operating system.
Location-Based
Reminders
All four mobile
platforms allow users to set basic reminders, but no one can touch iOS 5's
Reminders tool on account of its geo-fencing location-based notifications. With
Reminders, iOS users can set alerts that activate when they enter or exit
specified locations.
Quick-Camera Access
If you're using your
mobile phone as your camera—as more and more people are beginning to do, for
better or worse—quick access counts. Both Windows 7.5 Mango and iOS 5 let users
jump directly into camera mode from the lock screen without entering passcodes
(if enabled). Blackberry 7 OS allows users to map a side button to launch a
camera, but unfortunately you'll still need to unlock your device. Certain
Android phones (such as the HTC Sensation) have quick-camera access, but stock
Android handsets do not.
Advanced Photo Editing
Tools
When it comes to photo
editing on the go, iOS 5 is a clear winner out of the box. While Android allows
some editing (crop and rotate), iOS goes a step further (crop, edit, red eye reduction,
composition controls, and auto-enhance). BlackBerry 7 OS and Windows 7.5 Mango
can't compete here.
PC-Free Setup
Desktop-free setup and
updates is one area where Apple played serious catch up with iOS 5. It now
joins all the other platforms in the (sort of) post-PC world as you no longer
need a Mac or PC to activate an iPad—it's used out of the box as a standalone
device.
Wireless Sync
Apple has delivered a
powerful wireless sync solution: Everything in your iTunes library—including
photos and video—can sync over the air if your iPad and computer are connected
to the same Wi-Fi signal. In this respect, iTunes Wi-Fi Sync tops Blackberry 7
OS, which handles music, but not video. One caveat: In order to activate iTunes
Wi-Fi Sync, you must first connect the iPad to a Mac or PC to activate this
feature. Mango phone owners can now sync Office 365 and SkyDrive documents.
Gingerbread lags behind the competition in this category.
Voice Commands
Voice Control isn't new
to smartphones, but Apple's Siri implementation takes the feature to a new
level. You can use the "intelligent personal assistant" to look up
information, calculate tips, launch a handful of compatible apps, and other
useful activities simple by speaking a question or command; it will even ask
you follow up questions in order to correctly cull information. It's not
perfect—it sometimes doesn't recognize words or phrases—but it's pushing voice
control in a way that its competitors can't match.
The Best Smartphone OS?
Let's be frank: This
article is measures everyone else by iOS 5's standards—after all, we're
comparing its features (many of them unique) to what other operating systems
have to offer. That doesn't mean that iOS is the right mobile OS for everyone.
Android 2.3 Gingerbread is tweaker-friendly; BlackBerry 7 OS has a strong
enterprise focus with its data security and built-in Microsoft Office editors;
and Windows Phone 7.5 Mango is great for social networkers with its smart,
intuitive Groups feature. Still, Apple iOS 5 does push the envelope,
features-wise, and is one that continues to innovate in the mobile operating
system space. But the release of Android Ice Cream Sandwich could be only days
away; once we've had a good look at it, we'll update this article from the
point of view of Google's smartphone OS, and that might be a different story.
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