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The Smartphone OS Complete Comparison [Chart]
8/11/11 - minor fixes and edits
* Now updated for iOS 5.0, Android Ice Cream Sandwich, Blackberry OS7, and Windows Phone Mango *
So, you want a new smartphone.
There's a bevy of dazzling handsets enticing you with their sleek forms and bright screens. It can be tempting to plonk your cash down for the first phone that catches your eye, or one that the salesman pushes.
Wait! The first and most important decision you have to make is to choose an Operating System.
This is the software platform powering a phone, and it determines the capabilities and overall user experience of the phone to a large extent.
When you choose an OS, you're marrying into a smartphone family. Make the wrong choice, and you face despair for the duration of your 18-24 month contract.
You may be able to switch to another OS later, but it will be painful and messy.
You are likely to spend more time with your new smartphone than perhaps any other possession for the next couple of years, so you want to get this right.
The main contenders are:
They each have strengths, weaknesses, and personality quirks.
But trying to get a clear picture of how they compare is easier said than done; there is a mountain of information out there.
The good news is, we've decided to do something about it - we've pored over tomes of knowledge, worked the shady backstreets of the mobile industry, and interrogated enlightened tech gurus in order to compile all the information you need.
Then we've laid it out in this big but easy to use chart, making this momentous decision entirely too easy.
Enjoy using it, let us know your thoughts in the blog comments, and be sure to share this with friends who are in the hunt for a new smartphone!
The Smartphone OS Complete Comparison Chart:
iOS 5.0 vs Android 4.0 vs Blackberry OS 7 vs Windows Phone 7.5
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Which Smartphone OS do you like? Have questions? Please share your thoughts and comments below!
