The Mobile Phone OS Trend in 2011

16 years back, on 31^st July 1995, the first cellular call was made in India and today we stand as the country with second largest mobile phone users (above 865 million) in the world. I was filled with curiosity when I saw a mobile phone for the first time. It was the Nokia 5110, a bulky handset with monochrome display and antenna that made it look like a cordless phone. There were no smartphones at that time, nobody talked about future of cellphones, and the device was considered handy for making calls in emergencies. I never knew that mobile phone industry would soon be going through a revolution, taking mobile phone to smartphone!

Now your phone is capable of doing anything for you: from making calls to booking tickets, making online payments, accessing Facebook, and finding exact location of a coffee shop. And the credit goes to developers who are doing a great job of making new apps, devices, and new hacks for mobile-addicted junkies.

In the past 5 years, there’s no hotter topic in mobile technology than the mobile operating system. Be it Google’s Android, Apple’s iOS or Nokia’s Symbian, every mobile OS has a set of loyal users who just love to play around with their smartphones. So, which mobile OS has got the highest following in the year 2011?

If we look at the 2011 report of Global Stats, Symbian is still the market leader with 31.55% share but has experienced a decrease of 0.74% since last year. Second in the list is Apple’s iOS capturing 22.26% of the global market but the OS had 25.48% market hold in 2010. 

Android has gained great impetus over the last 2 years. The open source mobile OS had 8.82% market share in 2010, which has now risen to 18.76%. That’s really a huge achievement for Android because it’s the youngest mobile OS in market. Samsung also received a growth of 2.33% and the OS now holds 5.3% market share, which was just 2.97% last year. 

It seems BlackBerry is loosing hold over market. One of the most suited mobile OS for business phones has seen a fall of 4.55% in 2011. The OS is remained with 11.95% share that was 16.5% last year. 

The Indian Market Scenario

When we specifically look at the Indian market, Nokia’s Symbian still has 70% share. The share of iOS has reduced at global level, but the OS has become popular amongst Indian users. It has gained 16.8% market share and reason being the success of iPhone 4. RIM is down from 19.7% to 12.9%. 

What is surprising is the remarkable increase in the share of Android OS. It was just 5 years ago that nobody even knew about Android because OS didn’t exist in India at that time. The OS had 0.11% market share last year & was placed at ninth position in Indian market. Now the scenario has dramatically changed with Android being fifth most popular OS capturing 1.35% of the mobile OS share in the country. 

Is Android Capable Enough of Becoming Future for Mobile OS? 

The current market stats clearly show that momentum is certainly with Android, which has doubled its global market share in just one year. So, what is it that is making consumers fall for the youngest mobile OS, Android?

One of the most prominent and obvious reasons behind huge success of Android OS is the flexibility it provides to developers & users. The OS allows rapid development of apps from Google team as well as third party developers that provide consumers with wider options to optimize their handset. According to a report by Google, more than 3,50,000 Android devices are activated everyday. 

In the tablet era, Android is overshadowing iPads too. Android Honeycomb is the dedicated OS for tablets, but mobile device makers are also considering other versions of Android such as Gingerbread and Froyo for tablets.

Google has huge plans to become future trend for mobile platform with the open source mobile OS, Android. This is not an easy task as Android would require some killer apps and even better check on malwares, if it wants to dominate the mobile platform category. 

2012 is expected to be a competitive year for mobile OS because every player is working hard not only to retain but to expand its market presence. The Windows 7.5 Mango phones by Nokia & Microsoft have already created a buzz in global market. Techies are seeing Windows phones as possible threat to Android devices. 

There’s a cut throat competition and nobody can predict which mobile OS will be a show stealer in the coming year. But, for the present year i.e. 2011, Android is the winner.

LG Announces the New PRADA 3.0

LG and PRADA have unveiled the third product from their joint venture, the LG PRADA 3.0. The elegant looking PRADA will boast a 4.3 inch Nova Plus Display with 800-nit brightness. LG has put-in efforts to make the device more pleasing by developing a unique display with menu & symbols in black, white, and grey colors.

PRADA 3.0 will be shipped with Android Gingerbread but the device is upgradable to the latest Android Ice Cream Sandwich. Quick look at what PRADA’s got to offer its lovers:

• 1.0GHz dual-core processor
• Gorilla Glass Display 
• Near Field Communication
• Resolution 800x480 pixels
• A sleek 8.5mm thick device
• 8MP main & 1.3MP front camera
• 8GB memory that is expandable up to 32GB
• 1540mAh Li-Ion battery
• 3G, Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0

If you are in hunt for a device with a bling factor, LG PRADA 3.0 is the phone for you. LG has not confirmed the official launch date of the phone but it’s expected to make an appearance in January 2012. Price of the phone has yet not been revealed.

Soon available on Saholic

Watch out fellas! WM7 is here to stay

Not so long ago, Microsoft, along with RIM and Palm used to rule the smartphone domain. Those who still feel nostalgic about the era can recall when smartphone meant business phones, mostly seen in the hands of professionals. Nokia’s entry into the arena with their hugely successful Symbian 60 OS changed the attitudes somewhat but the real killer blow came from iPhone in 2007.

All of a sudden, definition of a smartphone changed. Soft touch driven, offering vibrant display screens and loaded with multimedia features, the iPhone was instantly a hit and rapidly adopted by the premium users. Android happened next and analysts are still in process of measuring the impact it had (and is having) on the way we use our handsets. Old Goliath fell, making way for young Davids. Microsoft, RIM, Nokia etc, all were forced to bite dust by Android and iPhone’s joint rampage. So, what is it that makes Microsoft believe that it can regain its lost territory in smartphone domain? Let’s find out.

Microsoft’s Smartphone moment

Microsoft is a giant when it comes to computing. 90% of all the PC systems in the world run on Windows operating system. So, the million dollar question is that why it lost its way in the smartphone domain? Was it intentional or Microsoft got whitewashed out of their superiority complex? We believe not it was neither. Microsoft’s Windows Mobile, though an efficient OS platform in itself, mainly lost out due to lack of innovation and focus that is required in an as personal device as a mobile phone. Let’s face it. People do get bored by using same stuff over and over again.

Also, Microsoft was not offering anything radical in any of its OS updates either. They were all the same in terms of net usability, offering a kind of ‘miniaturised PC’ experience to the users, which was somewhat out of sync with modern needs as no one would like to carry a mini PC in their pockets, which can give you a feel of PC but cannot replace it. Essentially speaking, a real mobile experience lacked in Windows Mobile devices.

Now, that the situation has somewhat stabilised, Microsoft is pushing through the smartphone market with WindowsPhone 7. The OS, launched in early 2011 aboard HTC HD7 has generated rave reviews and recently received its first upgrade – Windows Mango. The choice of vendors has also been widened, ranging from old partner HTC to Samsung, LG and of course, Nokia.

Windows Phone 7 is an entirely new OS, and not backward compatible with earlier versions of Windows Mobile or its app ecosystem. It is an effort to rehash the smartphone domain by Microsoft, something it has done before with PCs in 1990s and Xbox in 2000s. Though, the task is not that easy this time for Microsoft. With two well entrenched mobile OSes in global smartphone market – the iOS and Android, both of with are also evolving rapidly, the software giant has its task cut out.

Technically speaking, Microsoft is in a better position to win the deal. As most of the corporate houses run their systems on Windows desktop OS, with Microsoft supplied productivity suites like MS office etc and use Microsoft exchange server mailing services to setup Emailing systems, the WM7 is better suited for business market, where you can seamlessly sync your data with devices running Windows, without losing touch.

Nokia + Window = World domination

Still, the million dollar question remains. Is it too late for Microsoft to be back in the game? Well! We believe it can. After all, Microsoft is a well established company and dominates the global software arena, has deep pockets and can afford to be patient with its designs.

The choice of partnering with Nokia and making them ditch the development of their own Symbian OS is coup of sorts in itself. Nobody would have believed Nokia would do so before the announcement came. Though, Nokia itself is a big casualty of iOS+Android combine but it still remains world's largest handset manufacturer by installed manufacturing  base and a trusted brand in much of Asia, Europe and Africa. The tie up with Microsoft gives them a stable and modern smartphone OS while Microsoft gains valuable partner, which can help them lower down the prices of devices by economies of scale.

To further leverage Nokia's popularity in markets with less inclination towards smartphones, Microsoft also lowered minimum hardware specifications required by WM7 to penetrate these regions. Sum it up and you have a win-win situation for both.

A window into future

Microsoft’s latest venture into handset OS domain is a winner since the beginning. Microsoft’s experience in productivity and Nokia's specialisation in providing cost effective high-quality handsets and selling them is a partnership that will establish the WM7 among the top OSes available in the market.

WM7 Mango 7.5 took care of those already who were criticizing the OS platform as half baked and the next update. Apollo, the next update being planned is expected to further iron out the bugs and add NFC capability and convergence between Microsoft OS running devices, providing seamless connectivity.

Those who are questioning apprehensive about the number of applications available for the platform should also bury the fear as Windows Phone Marketplace already matches number of apps available on BlackBerry App World and as the devices flood the market, the situation could quickly turn for good.

Henceforth, the global smarphone domain is officially a three way struggle for supremacy between Microsoft, Apple and Google, the very same troika, which dominates PC world. Everybody else is doomed. 

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Why Android?

Gartner report confirms that 52% of all smartphone sold globally in third quarter of 2011 were Android powered. Definitely, it will be the king of smartphone world by 2012. There are lots of reasons to quote why Android is better than other mobile operating systems.

Wider choice:  Competition is driven by creating more options to choose from; and that’s what the idea upon which Google capitalized. If you want to use iOS, you are bound to buy Apple product. If you want to buy Symbian OS, you are bound to buy Nokia phones. If you want to use BlackBerry OS, you are bound to buy BlackBerry phones. But if you want to use Android OS, you have a wider range of brands available, including Samsung, HTC, Motorola, LG, Micromax, Spice and more. Even within brands, choice is wide with products that differ in price, screen size, processor, color etc; the result is escalating customer base.

More apps: The Market app comes pre-installed in Android phone, which acts as a gateway to a huge pool of both free and paid apps to choose from. Users can download and install multiple apps on their phones by just a few clicks to serve their time-to-time needs. This makes it analogous to Apple.

Enhanced web surfing experience: Android Webkit browser is capable of providing lightening fast web browsing experience. On android based phones, the browser lets users experience the full Web and easily flip through other open applications, making it much PC-like. Other than Webkit, multiple browsers including Firefox, Opera Mini and Dolphin are available on Android Market. Android version 2.2 and above have Adobe Flash support, which enables users to play Flash videos embedded into websites.

Software flexibility: With other operating systems, there is limited scope for tweaking and customization. Android plays in an open environment. Along with apps on Android Market, the OS enables users to download many apps from places like online forums or developers’ websites.

Android is moving fast: The platform has demonstrated astounding pace of development. In a small span of just 4 years, 9 versions of Android have been released, with 17 updates in all. Users can install the latest updates, as and when they are released to keep their device state-of-the-art. Note the fact that Apple has just released its iOS5 and BlackBerry just touched its OS7.

Availability at lower price: Smartphones with iOS or BlackBerry OS are often placed in a higher price category, which is revolting many price sensitive customers. Android-based smartphones are available in a wide price range from Rs. 6000 to 35,000

Android takes you to Google Age: We are living in Google-age. Android phones make all Google services including Google Search, Gmail, Gtalk, Google Maps, and YouTube handy to us. And more Google apps are available free in the Android Market.

No more viruses on your phone: Android devices are protected from the viruses, though not faultless. It can be attacked by malwares but your data are free from the deadly viruses that can corrupt your system and applications. You just need to install anti-malware application to keep your phone away from malwares. An interesting info; iOS holds the record in OS being hacked and Android remains UNHACKED after 3 or 4 years of trying.

Android game review : Hangman from Spice Labs

In the age of XBoxes, Playstations and smartphones, where you don't like to settle for anything less than advanced 3D graphics and agumented reality, the charm of playing a classic board game just refuses to die. This is pretty much evident with the huge downloads, games like backgammon etc have raked in on different smartphone apps stores. Hangman from 'Spice Labs' is one such classic word game, which after its enormous success on BlackBerry app world and Nokia OVI store, has been made available on Android Market too. Hence, we decided to give it's Android version a shot.

First thing that came to our mind is the no frills game interface. On the main menu itself, you are given five word-themes to select from. Once selected, the game takes you to next slide where you have alphabets listed in the lower half of the screen and blank spaces given above for the word in question. You also have a hint to make it easier to you to guess the right word. Each wrong entry completes a portion of hangman caricature, starting with noose. You have maximum of eight attempts to zero in on the right word else your 'man' goes down to gallows.

The gameplay is pretty addictive and you can just go on and on until you really exhaust your dictionary. But hang on, there are still lots of tricks up the sleeve of this little app. Sliding across the main menu reveals Facebook login page to link the game to your Facebook account. Once linked, the app automatically syncs with your account and pulls names of your friends and other interesting stuff and bundles that information into new game themes for you to play. You also recieve a bonus Facebook theme skin for your game after linking your Facebook account.

Next comes the daily board which is updated with 20 new words daily (25 on Sunday), keeping the game fresh and challenging. You can also check out your weekly score and ranking here. Final words: the Spice Labs has really scored a winner here. Though Hangman is an excellent game for all ages alike and pretty much informative too, we would have loved if the game had multiplayer feature too. I hope our guys at Spice are listening! So keep on guessing folks, 'cause every right guess can save the life of our little buddy!

Spice Hangman is a free app and can be downloaded from Android Market. 
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