What are the Differences Between Android and iOS?
Both Android and iOS are Operating Systems for Mobile and Smartphone devices. Android is to Google and iOS is to Apple. Though both are managed by different companies they do share similarities and Differences between Android and iOS.
Android
- Android was started by Android Inc. But, purchased by Google in 2005
- Android is an Open source operating system.
- Android is based on Linux kernel.
- Rooting is the term used when it is associated with Android. It is the process that allows users of cellphones or other devices to gain privileged control within Android’s Linux system.
- Android Open Source Project (AOSP) is responsible for managing maintainable and development.
- Due to its open source nature, There are more than 100000 apps which can be found on Android Market (online app store run by Google).
- Android Operating System versions are 1.1, 1.5 (Cupcake), 1.6 (Donut), 2.0 / 2.1 (Eclair), 2.2 (Froyo), 2.3 (Gingerbread) and 3.0 (Honeycomb) (which will be launched in early 2011).
- Android OS can be run on cellphone, netbook, tablet PC’s, Dell Streak, Samsung Galaxy Tab, etc.,. It means it can run on any hardware which supports it.
- First phone to run on Android OS was HTC Dream
- World’s First TV running on Android is Scandinavia launched by People of Lava
- Google’s Smartphone running on Android are Nexus One manufactured by HTC and Nexus S manufactured by Samsung
iOS
iOS was launched by Apple on June 29, 2007.
iOS is not an open source operating system. It is Apple’s Mobile operating system.
iOS is based on Mac OS X operating system.
Jailbreaking or Jailbreak is the term used when it is associated with iOS. It is the process that allows iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch and Apple TV users to gain root access to the command line of the iOS operating System.
iOS is maintained by Apple.
There are more than 300,000 iOS applications which can be found at MarketPlace (online app store run by Apple).
iOS Operating System versions are 1.x, 2.x, 3.x and 4.x. The current version for iPad, iPod Touch and iPhone is 4.2.1. 4.1 version is the current version for Apple TV
iOS Operating System can only run Apple’s hardware (cannot run on third party hardware). It runs on iPad, iPod Touch, iPhone and Apple TV
From the above, One can make out that Android OS can run on any hardware that can support it where as iOS supports only Apple devices as it is developed by Apple.
