This article is taken from here. Just want to share the info(s) =)
Specifically Smartphones -
This next section goes over the major aspects that make a smartphone what it is, and are unique to these devices.
Operating Systems - An operating system is the software that your phone runs on. Think of it like a computer. If you currently use a PC, you are likely using some version of Microsoft Windows. If you are on a Mac, you are running Mac OS. As far as smartphones are concerned, there are 6 different operating systems you should know about. The four major ones are iOS, Blackberry OS, Android and Windows Phone 7. The other two that would be helpful to get familiar with are Symbian and WebOS.
Specifically Smartphones -
This next section goes over the major aspects that make a smartphone what it is, and are unique to these devices.
Operating Systems - An operating system is the software that your phone runs on. Think of it like a computer. If you currently use a PC, you are likely using some version of Microsoft Windows. If you are on a Mac, you are running Mac OS. As far as smartphones are concerned, there are 6 different operating systems you should know about. The four major ones are iOS, Blackberry OS, Android and Windows Phone 7. The other two that would be helpful to get familiar with are Symbian and WebOS.
- iOS - This is Apple's proprietary operating system and is only found on iPhones. As each new generation of iPhones has been introduced, updates to the software have also been released.
- Blackberry OS - Like iOS, Blackberry OS is a proprietary OS created by Research in Motion, the Canadian company that manufactures Blackberry devices. Blackberry OS is only found on Blackberry Devices and is also frequently updated as technology advances.
- Android - This OS is owned by Google and is used by a number of major manufacturers like Samsung, HTC and Motorola. Android definitely offers you the most selection in terms of phones, but because so many manufacturers use the OS, your user experience can be different from one manufacturer to the next.
- Windows Phone 7 - This is one of the newest operating systems on the market, owned by Microsoft. Like Android, several manufacturers use the Windows Phone 7 OS in addition to the Android OS. Samsung and HTC are examples of manufacturers that make handset for both operating systems.
- Symbian - Symbian is a proprietary OS of Nokia and is only found on Nokia devices. It has a very small presence in the United States, although it is the most used OS in the world.
- WebOS - WebOS was first developed by Palm and has since been bought by HP. WebOS is only available on Palm branded devices.
What are all the numbers and letters following the OS on my phone?
Like we mentioned earlier, as software technology advances, the various operating systems get updated. The bigger the number the more recent the version of that particular operating system is. In addition to numbering their operating systems, Android also likes to name their various updates after desserts. They also go in alphabetical order as new releases are made. For example, Android 2.2 was known as Froyo (short for frozen yogurt). Android 2.3 is nicknamed Gingerbread.
