The Grand Slam - Windows Phone Versus iOS Versus Android

It is very difficult to compare mobile operating systems. Each of these have their own intrinsic features and functionalists which driver their craze. In a world which is becoming ‘smart’ newer mobile OSs are offering users some fascinating experiences. Phones are no longer mere communication devices they pack in entertainment and information in them. Among the popular mobile operating systems Windows Phone, Android and iOS have always been pitted against each other. Here in this write-up we shall compare between Window Phone 8, iOS 6 and Android 4.1 which are the latest in the offering from their respective developers.

 User Interface

This is perhaps the most important thing when it comes to a smartphone and the often becomes the deciding factor in a phone’s success. Windows Phone 8 is built around Flashy tiles which reminds us of the ‘windows’ in the famous operating system. These tiles can be easily customized based on one’s choice. Android 4.1 UI has jelly bean widgets which can be easily adjusted by the user. There isn’t any change in Apple iOS 6UI which continues with the grid system reminding us of the first generation of iPhone which makes it a bit boring to say the least!

Browsers

All the three have their own browsers where Android 4.1 comes with Google Chrome, Windows Phone 8 with IE 10 and iOS 6 comes with Safari. When we draw a comparison between these Safari and Chrome emerge more user-friendly where users can view the searched pages online. IE provides no such facility however enhances the security of the user and prevents them from falling victims to malicious websites through its phishing filter feature.

Mapping

This is another important feature in smartphones these days especially when it comes to travelling on roads and locating places. Windows Phone 8 makes use of Nokia mapping service which is a poorer cousin of Google Maps which is available on both Android 4.1 and iOS 6 which also brings 3D indoor mapping into the scene. In fact Apple goes a step further and provides live updates on traffic by sourcing information from its users.

Near Filed Communication

This is one of the hottest things in the technology world and finds usage in making online payments using the phone. Microsoft has developed its own wallet for Windows Phone which allows users to make payments and store payment instructions easily. Android also has something in similar likes known as the Google Wallet. Apple on the other hand uses something called a passbook which however isn’t based on the NFC technology.

The Verdict

It is difficult to choose one among these three operating systems on these counts. While Android continues to remain the most popular smartphone platform and iOS as the most admired one. Windows Phone is picking up and will give a tough competition to others in the coming years. One great advantage for Windows is the fact that the same operating system can be used over a host of devices such as the smartphones, PCs and laptops, tablets and PDAs.

One thing is for sure smartphones are soon going to take over from traditional mobile handsets and this opens a huge opportunity for mobile application development. If you are planning to develop apps to promote your business you need to develop apps for all these platforms to reach the mass market.

The Stumbling App Blunders

As common as having our breakfasts, using mobile applications (popularly known as apps) have become an integral part of our day-to-day activities. From checking mails to tracking calories, maintaining different apps for routine activities has become a habit. It’s the first thing that we do in the morning and rest peacefully only after updating the day’s activities before we go to sleep. Although these tools which commit to simplify our lives help us manage various things with a touch of a keystroke, they may also become irritating with pop-ups, unwanted notifications and the revenue generating advertisements.

These issues which come piggybacked with installed apps may vary from user to user, but there are a few which are, kind of, universal. Here’s a list of common areas where these apps miss out on pleasing their users.

1. Why Not Make Some Money: Ads are one of the biggest sources of revenues for developers. But at the same time, ads may disturb people while they are using the apps. Ads are sometimes so flashy that it becomes unavoidable to ignore them. A small bar at the top or a full screen ad in the beginning not only wastes time of the users but also irritates them. It gets worst when someone is redirected to the web browser if he accidently clicks on the ad screen.

2. The Social Connection: The second thing that app users don’t like is everything getting posted on their facebook profiles. The apps have become integrated these days and use platforms like facebook for different reasons ranging from logging in to bragging about the app usability. But then, the users don’t like it when an unwanted update goes on their wall saying, “I’m using shed-your-weight app, and it really works”! The users don’t like to share every single thing they do on their social profiles.

3. The Mid-Age Crisis: One of the worst mistakes that developers make is – giving up on an app and not updating it on regular intervals. Not updating the app means the bugs will keep floating which is a big turn off for the users and they end up uninstalling the app. It’s a literal death of the app! The developers need to understand that implementing user feedback is the only way they’re going to survive in the market.

4. Rate Me! Rate Me!: One more irritant in the users top list is the regular ‘rate my app’ requests. We understand that everybody likes getting a good rating for the work they've done, but bugging users every now and then would make sure that the user doesn't rate it. The rating requests can, instead, be made after (say) 10 uses or would be even better if made while installing new updates. Users would be more than happy to share what they feel once they've used the app satisfactorily.

5. The Notification Mess: As the world is getting smarter, so are the mobiles. The apps have made mobile a world in itself. But there’s still a long way to go when it comes to notifying the users. Since people use a number of applications at a time, throwing notification for every single thing might get overwhelming. With too many notifications on screen, the users might miss out on some important ones. The apps should give an option to the users to be selective of what they want to see on their screens. Updates from selective group of people or particular entities might do the trick.

Using the feedback that users give and doing a thorough market research about usability of the app would be the deciding factors in the competitive market. The developers need to understand not only ‘what users want’ but also ‘how they want it’, if they want to spread their user base.