Windows Phone 7 Vs. IOS Vs. Android
The iPhone and Google Android devices had a few years to refine their user interface and features, which gave them plenty of time to get ahead of Microsoft's ailing Windows Mobile OS. But in a swift turn of events, Microsoft came up with a totally new user interface for the Windows Phone 7 OS, which will arrive on multiple phones November 8.
Fri, October 22, 2010
PC World — The iPhone and Google (GOOG) Android devices had a few years to refine their user interface and features, which gave them plenty of time to get ahead of Microsoft's (MSFT) ailing Windows Mobile OS. But in a swift turn of events, Microsoft came up with a totally new user interface for the Windows Phone 7 OS, which will arrive on multiple phones November 8.
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But Microsoft had to build Windows Phone 7 from scratch, which means that, if it was not to suffer a significant delay in release, the new mobile operating system had to leave out several features that we now take for granted on our smartphones. At the same time, though, Microsoft brings a few interesting new elements to the table with Windows Phone 7, elements that some of you might prefer over the usability of an iPhone or an Android phone.
We've looked at the main differences between Windows Phone 7, iOS, and Android to give you an idea of the state of mobile operating systems today. The chart (at left; click to zoom) gives you an overview of the features of these OSs--what each one has and doesn't have; after you've looked at it, read on for highlights of the best and worst things about Windows Phone 7.
What's Different About Windows Phone 7
With Windows Phone 7, Microsoft brought a few new concepts to the table. Instead of a noncustomizable home screen (or as Microsoft calls it, the "Start" screen) as on the iPhone, or widgets on Android, Windows Phone 7 uses rectangular "live tiles," a cross-breed of widgets and application icons. The live tiles link to an application, but they also display live information on the Start screen. This gives Windows Phone 7 users an easy way glance at what's happening on their phone, but it could become quite cumbersome when too many tiles are used and a lot of scrolling ends up being involved.
In comparison, the iPhone does not have an active home screen or widgets, while Android employs widgets of all shapes and sizes to display information on the main screen. The simplicity of the Windows Phone 7 tiles wins in this category, while the iPhone is clearly the loser for home screen notifications.
Windows Phone 7 also groups various features of the OS into hubs--a cross between folders and screens. Each Hub (Marketplace, Office, People, Pictures, Xbox Live, and Zune) has tight integration with both native and third-party apps. For example, in the People Hub, you can see your contacts' Facebook status updates and like or comment on them.
