iOS, Android and Windows Phone in comparison

If you buy a new smartphone, you just don’t have to choose the right hardware. The operating system also plays a central role: should it be iOS, Android or rather Windows Phone?

Windows Phone: Cross -Ittaforma still uses future music

Long-date PC users are particularly easy to start because Windows Phone is based on the tiled look known by Windows 8-if you are already working on the desktop, you feel at home here. The tiles can be organized and adapted in their size so that they can make the starting screen very individually. If you already have a Microsoft account, you can connect it to Windows Phone and use so many services on all devices. Updates come directly from Microsoft and are usually available very quickly. With Windows 10, mobile and desktop devices could finally approach and allow use almost without a solution to continuity of Office and Co.

The device selection is quite narrow here, since Microsoft places rigorous requirements for hardware licenses and subsidies. In addition, there was a relatively small selection of apps for Windows Phone.

OS Android: open and versatile

The fact that Android OS is so widespread is the Google product policy: the free operating system is so open and flexible that hardware producers can be adapted to many different devices. For the customer, this means that the selection of Android smartphones is enormous and that there is really something suitable for every taste and wallet. In addition, the surface and functionality can be set very individually by countless apps.

Paradoxically, the disadvantage of the Android operating system is also open. Manufacturers are required for each new version: you must optimize the operating system for their respective devices before you can provide updates to your customers. This leads to a delayed delivery, the oldest models are sometimes neglected. Only those who buy a Nexus device directly on Google receive updates in advance and without additional ballast.

iOS: sketched, but intuitive

The Apple mobile operating system works exclusively on the brand and expensive devices of the brand: iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The clear advantage of this practice is that hardware and software come from a single source and can therefore be ideally coordinated. IOS is particularly known for its superior requests on intuitive and functional operational concepts, which can also be understood quickly for new arrivals. All apps must therefore correspond to the rigid quality criteria of Apple and otherwise they will not be published. This wants to ensure that the software of third -party suppliers is simple to operate as the operating system itself. Due to the close -up checks, the devices are also considered less susceptible to malware as viruses.

The largest criticism point is that the system appears very closed. The scenarios as they allow the Android and Windows operating system are excluded here. For example, access to internal memory is seriously limited: the data cannot be copied directly from the PC to the mobile device, but must be transmitted with the iTunes special software.

The spread of operating systems

The Kantar World Panel has regularly published sales data for smartphones all over the world since 2012 and shows how large operating systems are spreading in selected countries. The clear trend: not only internationally, but also in the German operating system Android is the most widespread operating system for smartphones, Apple’s iOS is constantly second place. Windows Phone, however, remains a marginal phenomenon in many places and usually moves between the market share of 5 and 10 %. This photo is confirmed in Germany.

Detailed comparison test

The specialist Connect magazine compared in January 2016, iOS 9 and Windows 10 Mobile and was surprised in the conclusion of how Windows 10 Mobile can keep up with iOS and Android. Unfortunately, however, it is still fighting with the quality and quantity in the App Store, which we recently criticized in the Microsoft Surface Pro 4 test.

Conclusion

For long-time PC users, Windows Phone offered a remarkably familiar and seamless transition into the mobile world. Its tiled interface, inherited from Windows 8, provided a sense of continuity and comfort for users accustomed to the desktop environment. The customizable tiles not only enhanced the visual experience but also allowed for a highly personalized and efficient way to access information and applications. This design philosophy reflected Microsoft’s goal of creating a consistent ecosystem across devices — one where both functionality and familiarity could coexist.

By integrating the Microsoft account, Windows Phone strengthened its connection to the broader Windows ecosystem. Users could synchronize their emails, contacts, calendar events, and files across multiple platforms effortlessly through services like OneDrive, Outlook, and Office 365. This interconnectivity marked one of Microsoft’s greatest strengths: the ability to provide a unified digital experience where productivity and convenience merged naturally.

Additionally, the direct updates from Microsoft ensured better stability, security, and quicker access to new features — a level of control that distinguished Windows Phone from many of its Android counterparts at the time. With the release of Windows 10, Microsoft took this concept even further, aiming to close the gap between mobile and desktop environments. The vision of a unified operating system, where applications and data could flow seamlessly between devices, represented a forward-thinking step toward technological harmony.

In conclusion, Windows Phone stood as a bold attempt to bridge the gap between desktop and mobile computing, combining usability, personalization, and integration in a way that few competitors could match. Although it never achieved mainstream success, its influence remains evident in the evolution of Microsoft’s ecosystem. The pursuit of continuity and cross-device experience it championed continues to shape how we interact with Windows and its connected services today.