The Battle of the Cloud Based Mobile Operating Systems

by MRamos on 14/06/11 at 3:55 pm

Apple, Inc. recently unveiled to developers their new flagship mobile operating system that powers the iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and second generation Apple TV. iOS 5, due to be released later this fall, was given a new re-designed ‘User Interface’ and a new concept ‘Cloud’ architecture that will allow users to have complete access to their social media accounts. The new iOS 5 will allow Twitter integration, sync contacts, photos, and music over the air to multiple iOS 5 capable devices including Mac desktops.

To many Apple loyalists, fans and enthusiasts, this announcement was music to their ears! The ability to access all of your personal social information on one device and share it on multiple devices has been unheard of, well sort of.

I have been using the same features Apple announced at the World Wide Developer Conference for the past two months and many other users for over two years now. What’s our little secret called? It’s simple, webOS!

I have always been impressed by the webOS mobile operating system since it was announced in Spring of 2009 by Palm, Inc., now owned by HP through an acquisition of $1.2 billion in Spring of 2010.

Unlike iOS whose architecture is based on “traditional” programming languages such as C and Objective-C, webOS truly lives up to its name. It was developed and designed with modern web 2.0 technologies: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Did I mention that the main developers of webOS brought us Netscape and Firefox web browsers?

HP’s webOS was designed to deliver the capabilities mobile users really want in a smart phone or tablet, including true multitasking, unobtrusive notifications, seamless integration with popular cloud services and apps that simply work together.

HP Synergy (Apple’s equivalent to iCloud) brings together into one place all the information mobile users have stored in popular services like Google Docs and Gmail, Facebook, Microsoft Exchange, Skype and many others.

But one thing that webOS lacks is media sync. HP currently doesn’t have a“Media Store” like iTunes, but that may soon change with rumors of HP signing record label deals with major music labels.

In conclusion, although Apple was not the first company to bring a fully web-powered mobile operating system, they did perfect and add some features that webOS currently lacks. For example, twitter integration, revamp notification system, over the air updates, and media sync.

If you are a loyal iOS user you may soon have a webOS powered device at home or at the office. HP’s webOS powered printers are due to be released by the end of the summer. The HP’s touchPad is due on July 1st, and Samsung Electronics is interested in licensing webOS for future products such as TV, refrigerators and home appliances.

Apple’s iOS and HP’s webOS are on the right path while Google’s Android and Microsoft Windows Mobile Phone 7 platforms still lack the cloud push. Time for Google and Microsoft to ramp up their OS too before their systems become too outdated.