Which operating system do mobile phones use?

Re: Which operating system does mobile phones use?

NehaWe have always been talking about various operating systems in our computer world. This one is user friendly, that one provides you with more features etc. etc. My question is, which operating system do we use in our mobile phones? Is it same for all of them or we have varieties available? Is there any provision to change the operating system like we can do in our computer system?

I know about Symbian OS used extensively on Nokia phones. Motorola has its own OS, I don't know the name.

But the full featured OS available for PDAs is Windows CE. I don't know if there is a facility to uninstall this OS. I read somewhere that Linux is also available for mobile phones.

I will post more information if I find 😀

Croook

Re: Which operating system does mobile phones use?

Nice thread Neha. Keep the good work!!
Well Symbian is a Java based OS that goes, apart from Nokia, well with Ericson, Motorola, Samsung, BenQ, Lenevo and Panasonic as well.
But how can one know which is the most efficient OS for our set? Ofcourse we get it pre-installed when we buy a handset, and we perhaps don't have a provision to uninstall it, still if one wants to get it, then? And how can we know which OS is currently being used by our handset?

Re: Which operating system does mobile phones use?

Actually Symbian is the company name, its a joint venture originally set up by Ericsson, Nokia and Psion to develop an industry standard operating system for mobile multimedia terminals.

Symbian is currently owned by Ericsson (15.6%), Nokia (47.9%), Panasonic (10.5%), Samsung (4.5%), Siemens AG (8.4%), and Sony Ericsson (13.1%). ​
S60, the first OS by Symbian released in 2002, it’s one of the most used versions, used for a lot of top-selling phones (Nokia 6600, 6630, N-gage and all the N series, like recent N-70) and absolutely the most popular and stable version.

S80, used mostly by communicators (like Nokia 9210)

S90, another version less spread especially developed for supporting special devices. Unfortunately, Series 90 is completely incompatible with Series 60.

and most important point is all these models run on ARM Processor, a RISC processor type.

Note: About 30% of this content is copied from Internet source, and the rest is mine. Certainly Not wikipedia, i never trust wikipedia, because any one can edit it.

Re: Which operating system does mobile phones use?

Apt Answer made by akravikanth -

Thanks to him .

And we cant able to changed the o.s in our mobile phones,

If its an open source coded phone , then we can change it,

Suppose in some motorolla and China made phones totally changed,
based on open source programming such as Linix Mobile packed PDA.

We can do so...

Want more details about it, But Reply,

I will post you the full Detail,

Regards,
A.Sk...

Re: Which operating system does mobile phones use?

So, can it be interpreted that Symbian is the only operating system used in mobile phones?

Re: Which operating system does mobile phones use?

NehaSo, can it be interpreted that Symbian is the only operating system used in mobile phones?

what abt the palm OS used on the Treo phones? I think there also many phones based on the Windows CE OS that are also pda's...

Re: Which operating system does mobile phones use?

akravikanthActually Symbian is the company name, its a joint venture originally set up by Ericsson, Nokia and Psion to develop an industry standard operating system for mobile multimedia terminals.

Symbian is currently owned by Ericsson (15.6%), Nokia (47.9%), Panasonic (10.5%), Samsung (4.5%), Siemens AG (8.4%), and Sony Ericsson (13.1%). ​
S60, the first OS by Symbian released in 2002, it’s one of the most used versions, used for a lot of top-selling phones (Nokia 6600, 6630, N-gage and all the N series, like recent N-70) and absolutely the most popular and stable version.

S80, used mostly by communicators (like Nokia 9210)

S90, another version less spread especially developed for supporting special devices. Unfortunately, Series 90 is completely incompatible with Series 60.

and most important point is all these models run on ARM Processor, a RISC processor type.

Note: About 30% of this content is copied from Internet source, and the rest is mine. Certainly Not wikipedia, i never trust wikipedia, because any one can edit it.

May i know from which source you copied ...???..Thanks for alerting us that we can edit in wikipedia

Re: Which operating system does mobile phones use?

I copied from an article on Reversing Symbian apps, and these info you can find on the web just by googling symbian...

Re: Which operating system does mobile phones use?

NehaSo, can it be interpreted that Symbian is the only operating system used in mobile phones?

For your knowledge ..

the o.s. for mobiles are basically 4 types
1.Sybian os which in form of series 40, 60,80 and uiq ex- nokia phones
2.Java based o.s. ex- sony ericsson
3.windows mobile o.s. ex-imate
4.linux based o.s.-ex-motorola a1200

Now Start googling on the matter and Enjoy

--Crazy

Hi all, I am back in here after a long time. Used to be regular but not finding much time these days.

I am working a lot on mobile application development, DSP and bluetooth these days.

There are dozens of operating systems that can go into a mobile.

1. Symbian
2. Palm
3. Linux
4. WinCE
5. NokiaOS
6. REX
7. Many other prop. solutions.

Also, OS is independent of language. Lots of these OS do support programming on JAVA, or J2ME to be precise but that doesn't make them Java based. The OS programming happens in C or C++ for all these Os.

Guess what, Ive used Symbian, Windows mobile and linux. From my experience still symbian is the best. Windows will ultimately catch up with its cool new features and programmability.

There is another cool OS from Trolltech. They are having a phone named the "GreenPhone". You can use QT to develop apps for this.

hai
i am from TCS and i can answer your question....
almost all of the mobiles use an OS named "SYMBIAN". Now a days, this symbian is very much developed technically and many applications were introduced.. ofcourse is why we could have Nokia... N-X series....
hope i cleared or answered you.. 😒... and now google is planning to introduce a new OS named Android.. and its motto is to implement its Android OS in all the mobiles. its also had its discussions with all the mobile companies for that.... and by 2010 we will see many mobiles with android OS installed... we can really feel a great differnce if android enters into market.. it includes vast veriety of features.. keep going..


Regards
shobhan kumar
Tata Consultancy Services.

how can i install a new os in my mobile phone???

I doubt if you can really install any other OS then what is supplied with the device. The hardware is dedicated for the OS. For example suppose you want to install an OS which supports floating point arithmetic on say Symbian (most of the symbian phones dont have dedicated floating point processor). You can imagin this not working. Like this there are lot many differences.

However I would be delited to see a multidevice OS in future.

well i read somewhere there r people who run linux ...on
->gaming console
->mobile phones
->some wrist strapped watches too..
*am not sure of the last one...but ye!They call themselves hackers..
1>i dunno how mad they are
2>Sony PS3/PS2/PS1 consoles they say are most vulnerable..sory xboxes..but the fact is xbox is way too unbiqtious for them

well ask me and happy with linux on my comp..well haven't seen it elsewhere
Iphones caught newspapers's attention on it's first linux induction by some phillipino <!err me on spellings!> crazy engineer calling himself a hacker..in some blog of his own.where he explains how he did it.which i haven't been able to see or read..except in a news coloumn!
Well i think CEs they do deserve a place in CE!
P.S:if any one gets to his blog..pls read all his articles..
pass it on too!

HELLO....................TO ALL CRAZY ENGINEERS

you can use any os which is made in java langwage.
actualy c,c++ and other lanwage uses pointer which is a grate power but when we use power it is also some disadvantages virous is that disadwantage.
but java control pointers power by using contron on there own hand not in the hand of user so any system made in java langwage is free from virous.

hi #-Link-Snipped-# , you are right.

Symbian S60, Symbian S40,Symbian S80,Android...to name a very few..

My few cents...
Any mobile phone has two main chips: a)baseband (b)application
Baseband chip is the one that actually lets you communicate with your friends and the rest of the functionality like keypad, touch, LCD, etc application chip takes care off it.
Coming to OS's: The OSs listed out in this thread are mostly used for application purpose and not for baseband. The selection of a OS to be used in a cell phone involves lot of work. But to keep our discussion simple, a cell phone manufacture (like iPhone, Samsung, Nokia etc) choose a very thin kernel for baseband and ideally thin OS for application.
Symbian - Application OS
Nucleus OS - Baseband and Application - Popular
Windows CE - Application
VxWorks - Baseband and Application
Integrity - Baseband and Application
Different Flavours of Linux tailored for embedded devices:
Apples' OSx - Application...BTW this runs on iPhone.
Android - Application...BTW Google has wrapped several objects around LINUX and calls it Android OS.
Nucleus, VxWorks, Integrity are very popular in the embedded world. Esp Nucleus in Cell Phone world. YOu will not hear about them because of the EULA.
Hope this helps...

Ok... a lot of symbi fans.. and midp fans.. well wait for the new launch of the Android.. its a beast and every programmers heaven.
Android is a Linux based Os but not exactly an os its a complete stack for a wide category of user base.. from novice(users) to the prog. Has a Open GL platform.. man its gonna Kick Some b*** htc has come up wid one of them.. man u just hae to wait.

Easy there! You might be breaking CE protocol. No SMS text, No Slang, No language other than English.

Please pay attention to text formatting.

The_Big_KEasy there! You might be breaking CE protocol. No SMS text, No Slang, No language other than English.

Please pay attention to text formatting.

Sorry... will make sure that its followed the next time.

Hey
here everyone says that we cannot load a new OS in the phone but this can be done through the process of FLASHING of phones what is done is a flash device is connected to the phone ,which itself is connected to pc, it unloads the os in the phone and installs a new one in the phone also it is also used for upgrading the os in the phone but while doing this immense care needs to be taken so that there is no permanent damage to the phone also the new os should be supported by the phone hardware ......... i doubt this technique is available for all phones but it is there for s60 and s80 phones ..........it is also available for even those phones who do not have a prot for connecting a data cable ........actually what i have heard is that for such phones they connect the FLASHING device to the place where battery is connected(eg nokia 6600)........COOL isnt it amazing just think, if it is so then what an marvelous piece of engg it is .........a place where u supply power is used for internal processing of phones.............wow
*******************************************************************
😁😁😁😁😁😁


PROUD TO BE

If you want more details just go through the book of Mobile Computing.
and as far mobile o.s. is concern there are many os depending upon handheld device

Re: Which operating system does mobile phones use?

crazyboyFor your knowledge ..

the o.s. for mobiles are basically 4 types
1.Sybian os which in form of series 40, 60,80 and uiq ex- nokia phones
2.Java based o.s. ex- sony ericsson
3.windows mobile o.s. ex-imate
4.linux based o.s.-ex-motorola a1200

Now Start googling on the matter and Enjoy

--Crazy

along with the above there has been serious updates in the above
and also newly developed linux and also android by google is also available.
😒
1 Q. Can we change from linux to an android in a motorola mobile😁

Porting Android to non Android phones was in the news before. From what I've heard, experts have somehow ported android into Motorola A1200, Asus EEE PC, etc.
You cannot port android into any Motorola phone, hardware compatibility matters.

Symbian
LIMO
BREW
Andriod
Windows OS

Why do you have such a doubt.

Google uses Andriod, now Andriod could be found on LG, Song Ericson and even on nokia phones but you could only surf the Google Apps Market and not download or use them.

Windows OS using in Pocket PC's from Windows, plam, Oxygen or O2 phones.

Symbain is used in majority of the phones used by Nokia.

HTC uses Brew

Finally LG, Samsung & Docomo handsets were using LIMO.

crazyboy is right .................................. cheers

NehaWe have always been talking about various operating systems in our computer world. This one is user friendly, that one provides you with more features etc. etc. My question is, which operating system do we use in our mobile phones? Is it same for all of them or we have varieties available? Is there any provision to change the operating system like we can do in our computer system?

symbian is the operating system is used by most of the mobile phones

Re: Which operating system does mobile phones use?

Alright I register for this forum cause of this thread! May I know have more information about this possibility to install another OS on my China made phone? I have no idea as of which OS this is using. Please help me out! <Email ID Removed: All discussions/help should be obtained through the forum for the benefit of larger audience>

Re: Which operating system does mobile phones use?

crazyboyFor your knowledge ..

the o.s. for mobiles are basically 4 types
1.Sybian os which in form of series 40, 60,80 and uiq ex- nokia phones
2.Java based o.s. ex- sony ericsson
3.windows mobile o.s. ex-imate
4.linux based o.s.-ex-motorola a1200

Now Start googling on the matter and Enjoy

--Crazy

Add Android and Blackberrian OS

Re: Which operating system does mobile phones use?

jhbalajiAdd Android and Blackberrian OS

Hey, thanks for replying! So these are the only OS out there, am I right? Are these OS replaceable? Or are these stuck with the phone? I have tried Googling but no good results 😔

Re: Which operating system does mobile phones use?

dollarsideHey, thanks for replying! So these are the only OS out there, am I right? Are these OS replaceable? Or are these stuck with the phone? I have tried Googling but no good results 😔

Look Dollarside, suppose you want to install Android into a Nokia series 60 device. Nokia device uses different hardware than what is used by Android phones like HTC Dream. I mean to say that the camera, display, flash drives, audio devices are of different types (or of different manufacturers) in both the devices. And to run any hardware you need drivers (a software that controls hardware).

So the drivers which are need to run hardware of Nokia devices may not be present in Android. And the Symbian OS used in the Nokia device has those drivers which makes the device to run flawlessly. If at all you want to port Android or any other (foreign) OS into any device, all you firstly need is the drivers for the hardware of that phone.

In some cases it is possible, like some developers ported Android into Motorola A1200. The reason is simple, the hardware that A1200 uses is compatible with Android (ie the drivers in Android work for a1200 hardware).

So, at the end, hardware compatibility matters!

Re: Which operating system does mobile phones use?

dollarsideHey, thanks for replying! So these are the only OS out there, am I right? Are these OS replaceable? Or are these stuck with the phone? I have tried Googling but no good results 😔

Depends on your skill
Basically guys even mod that
I use Windows 98 in My Nokia N95 & ubuntu on my Sisters Android

But to be on the Path
I use HTC Shift which runs on Windows Vista Business 😀
Indeed it was the First Windows Business Pack for HTC Mobile phone
I enjoy that a Lot

Also there is Windows Mobile OS too thats for Microsoft phone

You can also have a look here
#-Link-Snipped-#

Re: Which operating system does mobile phones use?

Generally what i Feel is that mobile specially in smartphones we can find many operating systems and it depends on Manufacturer to whom he tiedup

Like Most of Nokia Phones use Symbion OS and many use windows too

Re: Which operating system does mobile phones use?

deepika mishraGenerally what i Feel is that mobile specially in smartphones we can find many operating systems and it depends on Manufacturer to whom he tiedup

Like Most of Nokia Phones use Symbion OS and many use windows too

That's right!
Depends on your purpose and level of use! 😀

Nokia N900 uses Linux-based Maemo OS.

th ,more info i ghii,
i have some information to add,regarding Operating System used bby Different Mobile phones.

In General there are different mobiles,using different Operating Systems ,and they are:

1.Symbian (O.S)(Designed in c++)
2.Savage(a java O.S,compete java one)
3.brew(Binary Run Time for WireLess,Designed in c++)
4.Palm O.S
5.Google Android(java based operating System)
6.Windows O.S(used in HTC mobiles)

Symbian is used in some % in some operating systems.

and Symbian contributes to nearly 45% of its part in some mobile phones,its not only nokia which uses symbian.

mobile phone which uses Symbain are:
1.motrolla
2.Sony Ericson
3.samsung
4.Windows HTC
and many more.

Symbain is an Open Source O.S( designed in C++ flavour)

Symbain has various releases,
Symbian 1(first release)
Symbain 2 (i dnt remember*)
Symbain 3(released on 15th february 2010)
Symbian 4(expected to release end of 2010)[it uses completely touch technology,similar to I-Phones]


thats it all i know!!

Samsung introduced BADA Operating system. Have a look at it.

The_Big_KSamsung introduced BADA Operating system. Have a look at it.

Hi Big_K i did some searching on Bada OS and found that Bada OS is result of Samsung's dispute with proprietary rights on OS like Symbain and Android. It is declared as open source but not completely, for now Bada is not stable so i don't recommend it as a piece of pie since Samsung decided to launch it on its range of Networking Phones and Touch Screen Phones, so if you are planning to go for BADA in your Smart Phones now, then i'll say its wrong time to do that because currently Bada is just as small as big the name is.

@Leo: I already own a BADA powered phone and let me tell you, Samsung did an AMAZING job with the phone. Yes, the OS is still in its early days but Samsung is putting lot of money and focus on its progress. Tons of reviews around the web have rated BADA as promising OS and the only thing pulling it down is the number of Apps.

BADA is at core a unix based OS and even if the OS does not take off, the phones they've launched are still superb. Anyone can take my words for them. 😀

Hi Big_K i don't know which sites rated it promising OS, i know it is Unix based and have cool display and interface, but providing a better interface in smart phones has been specialty of Smasung since long. But a cool sleek look doesn't really makes it promising, for most of the people a smart phone is a super gadget they want to use, where it currently fails, BADA fails as a performer for now, i know its efficiency will increase with time but for now as far as i have seen it, it is not promising.

Big i owned that BADA Based samsung phone before still i have it
Look good but not much better that Vista Business in Shift or the Android on HTC Droid yeah..
But soon it will hit in the rock list hope so

Now a days symbian OS has become standard operating system for mobilephones and it is licensed by more than 80 percent of the world's handset manufacturers. A symbian OS is Specially designed for the requirements of 2G and 3G mobile phones. There is some other Windows Mobile platform is available on a variety of devices from a variety of wireless operators.Also you will find Windows Mobile software on Dell, HP, Motorola, Palm, i-mate and many products.

Symbian, Linux, Windows, Big OS and Java based are the OS used in Cellulars and PDAs nowadays

Forgot to add, Google Andriod in Samsung, LG and Sony Ericsson phones