Windows vs iOS, Android, Blackberry, WebOS

[Rob]

If you had to rank all the currently available mobile operating systems in terms of POTENTIAL and growth over the next 3 years, where would you rank Windows Phone slash Windows Tablet? I'd say:

• Android
• iOS
• Windows
• Blackberry
• WebOS

I think Windows is a SOLID third, too. I think Blackberry is really going to struggle. And truthfully, I wish HP didn't totally wreck WebOS. It was a great operating system with so much potential. If it were not for that huge blunder, Windows would be having a MUCH harder time. And it's not like it's smooth sailing right now, either.

I think Windows will become the clear 3rd favorite OS by the end of 2013. Do you agree?

[themizarkshow]

@Rob: I think your list is pretty accurate. And I wish HP hadn't completely ****ed webOS too. It's a shame that they couldn't put out some devices faster. The changes they made to the OS were nice, but not worth killing the entire ecosystem for. Hopefully it will find some success in the opensource arena. I'd take it over Blackberry any day.

[puffinpuffer2985]

hp shouldnt have even entered the market when it comes to software. they make decent hardware and always have, but maintaining software ecosystems is a lot harder than just pumping out devices with decent specs. i don't think they realized how much trouble it raelly would be.

[Ashley K.]

BlackBerry has completely dropped the ball on everything they've done lately. It's really sad to see because the company realizes that they're failing, which is why they brought in a new CEO. The bad part about that is the new CEO is sailing in the same direction as the previous two, so there's not really going to be any change in the company, despite what they want the public to think.

Pretty sure by 2013, BlackBerry will be up for sale just like WebOS a few years ago.

[themizarkshow]

Pretty sure by 2013, BlackBerry will be up for sale just like WebOS a few years ago.

The question is, who would want them? They have failed so hard on the latest releases (coughPLAYBOOKcough) and BB10 is a pipedream. I just don't see why anyone would find them to be worth purchasing when Android is free to use and webOS is opensourced now.

[achmeingott]

BlackBerry has completely dropped the ball on everything they've done lately. It's really sad to see because the company realizes that they're failing, which is why they brought in a new CEO. The bad part about that is the new CEO is sailing in the same direction as the previous two, so there's not really going to be any change in the company, despite what they want the public to think.

Pretty sure by 2013, BlackBerry will be up for sale just like WebOS a few years ago.

Honestly, RIM's best bet is to simply make hardware for WP7 and Android. Their hardware has always been a cut above the rest, but it goes without saying that their OS is pure garbage.

[rbharathkumar]

Honestly, RIM's best bet is to simply make hardware for WP7 and Android. Their hardware has always been a cut above the rest, but it goes without saying that their OS is pure garbage.

RIM's OS is one of the best OS available.. yes it is no where as exciting and user friendly like Android and iOS..but it can definitely hold out its own...it is designed to provide a secure and easy to use business environment and I think neither of the aforementioned OSes go anywhere near RIM's on this case...

[slack]

RIM's OS is one of the best OS available.. yes it is no where as exciting and user friendly like Android and iOS..but it can definitely hold out its own...it is designed to provide a secure and easy to use business environment and I think neither of the aforementioned OSes go anywhere near RIM's on this case...

BlackBerry does has a nice OS in the sense of security and enterprise levels, its great for alot of business people. However, with Microsoft back in the game, it'll be stiff because they have advantages because they can throw in "free" software of their's and use it to their advantage. I'm not sure if this is true or not but im sure WP7 has Outlook and Exchange built right in, i think i saw it when i play with the demos. I think it's best if RIM does make hardware for both WP7 and Android, BUT keep their enterprise level for business, in the sense of corporate-wide purchases..because alot of business prefer it over the iPhone and Android and WP7 for that case because it's more of a business phone than it is a play phone. But that's for phones. When customers come in to the store i work at and they want to purchase tablets on a big scale, they choose either Android or iPad (Usually iPad) because they like it better for apps and such.

[techblitz]

BlackBerry does has a nice OS in the sense of security and enterprise levels, its great for alot of business people. However, with Microsoft back in the game, it'll be stiff because they have advantages because they can throw in "free" software of their's and use it to their advantage. I'm not sure if this is true or not but im sure WP7 has Outlook and Exchange built right in, i think i saw it when i play with the demos. I think it's best if RIM does make hardware for both WP7 and Android, BUT keep their enterprise level for business, in the sense of corporate-wide purchases..because alot of business prefer it over the iPhone and Android and WP7 for that case because it's more of a business phone than it is a play phone. But that's for phones. When customers come in to the store i work at and they want to purchase tablets on a big scale, they choose either Android or iPad (Usually iPad) because they like it better for apps and such.

Exactly, keep your business devices, but for consumer devices, BB10 will get RIM nowhere. As I see it, they've got until the end of the year to make a choice between one of the two OSes

[playviet]

I agree with you

[techblitz]

Honestly, RIM's best bet is to simply make hardware for WP7 and Android. Their hardware has always been a cut above the rest, but it goes without saying that their OS is pure garbage.

It's pretty much inevitable, and when BB10 most likely doesn't succeed, it's going to be Android, WP7, or maybe, just maybe... WEBOS! (That'd be a bad choice, but it please the WebOS fans!)

[Culat]

While I do think the list is pretty spot on, I do wonder how the iPhone will do these coming years without Steve Jobs at the helm.

[themizarkshow]

While I do think the list is pretty spot on, I do wonder how the iPhone will do these coming years without Steve Jobs at the helm.

Yeah, there have already been rumors about Apple just pushing out the stuff that Jobs rejected (retina iPad, AppleTV that looks like iOS) so who knows what else they will pull out of the trash to make a quick buck on.

And since their consumers are used to them telling them what is good and stylish, most will probably never know the difference.

[Joe F.]

Yeah, there have already been rumors about Apple just pushing out the stuff that Jobs rejected (retina iPad, AppleTV that looks like iOS) so who knows what else they will pull out of the trash to make a quick buck on.

And since their consumers are used to them telling them what is good and stylish, most will probably never know the difference.

I wonder why he would have rejected the retina iPad.

[themizarkshow]

I wonder why he would have rejected the retina iPad.

I think it was heat, weight, and battery issues that weren't worked out yet. Which are what most complaints about the device have focused on.

[techblitz]

I wonder why he would have rejected the retina iPad.

I don't believe he rejected it, rather he tried to iterate the iPad 2 further before showing his "full house" with the new iPad's display.

[anoxy]

Yeah, I'd agree with you in terms of potential. It's a shame what happened to WebOS. I owned an HP Veer for a while and absolutely loved it. It was just so fluid. iOS will be iOS, and Android will be android. Don't think those two are going anywhere anytime soon.

[androidbruce]

The order in which you listed them is quite accurate.

[techblitz]

Oh, I agree with the listing, but I do believe that Blackberry will disappear, and as much as I like WebOS, it will finally disappear as Android is already the dominant open source mobile OS. I'm actually writing this post on a rooted HP Touchpad!

[markaskey]

I wonder how the Motorola purchase by Google and fragmentation of that OS will affect Android's status. Kindle Fire proved you could use Android to produce something a bit better. Will we see other manufacturers taking that step and creating versions of Android?