This is a comparison of mobile operating systems. Only the latest versions are shown in the table below, even though older versions may still be marketed.
Feature | Android | iOS | HarmonyOS | Tizen | KaiOS | Sailfish OS Aurora OS | Ubuntu Touch | Mobian[1] | Plasma Mobile | PureOS | PostmarketOS | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Developed by | Google, Open Handset Alliance | Apple Inc. | Huawei | Linux Foundation, Tizen Association, Samsung, Intel | KaiOS Technologies Inc.(TCL) | Sailfish Alliance, Mer, Jolla and Sailfish community contributors | UBports and Ubuntu community contributors (previously Canonical Ltd.) | Debian on Mobile Team | KDE and Blue Systems | Purism | PostmarketOS community | |
Market share[2] | 77% | 19% | 4% | 0.22% | 0.14% | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
License | Base system is open source, but many devices use proprietary drivers for hardware support, and most Android operating systems include Proprietary apps (such as Google Play and other Google apps).[3] [4] | , open source kernel and core | except for open-source components |
| except for open source kernel patches (formerly the MPL 2.0 B2G OS) | Free and open-source, but the UI and the SDK are proprietary and closed source | Free and open-source, mainly the GPL[5] | Free and open-source, mainly the GPL | Free and open-source, mainly the GPL | Free and open-source, mainly the GPL | Free and open-source, GPL | |
Current version | 15 | 17.5.1 | 5.0.0.102(SP3C00E73R4P17) - Release | 4.0.0.7 | 3.1 | 4.5.0.24 | 20.04 OTA-4 | 20210516 | 5.24.3 | 10.0 | 21.12 Service Pack 3 | |
Development version | 15 | 18 Beta 3/PB1 | 5.0.0.103 - Release (Beta) | 8.0 M2 | 3.2 | Unknown | Unknown | 20220612 | Unknown | Unknown | N/A | |
Current version release dates | [6] | ? | [7] | |||||||||
OS family | Modified Linux kernel based | Darwin | OpenHarmony | Linux (based on a combination of Linux MeeGo and Samsung Bada) | Firefox OS / Open Web (based on Linux kernel) | Linux | Linux (based on Ubuntu) | Linux (based on Debian) | Linux (mainly based on KDE neon) | Linux (based on Debian) | Linux (based on Alpine Linux) | |
Supported CPU architecture | ARM (32-bit ARMv7-A and 64-bit ARMv8-A only), x86, x86-64[8] | 64-bit ARMv8-A only | 64-bit ARM, RISC-V, x86, x64 | ARM, x86, x86-64 | ARM | ARM, x86-64 | ARM, x86-64 | 64-bit ARM, RISC-V, x86, x86-64 and LoongArch | ARM | ARM, ? | Convergence operating system | |
Programmed in | C, C++, Java, Kotlin | C, C++, Objective-C, Swift | C, C++, JS, ArkTS, Cangjie | C++, Xamarin.Forms (.NET C#, F#, VB[9]) | HTML5, JavaScript | C++, QML, Python | Apps: HTML5, QML, Go, JavaScript, C++ System: C, C++, QML | C, C++ | C++, QML | ? | Python install tool and shell script packages | |
Public issues list | [10] | 3rd party[11] | [12] | [13] | [14] | [15] | [16] | [17] | [18] | [19] | [20] | |
DRM-free[21] | [22] since Android 4.1[23] and Android 4.3[24] and more restrictions on Android 4.4[25] | – FairPlay | – Huawei WisePlay[26] | ? | ||||||||
Device independent system updates | [27] 3rd party software like LineageOS[28] | [29] | [30] | For feature phones, not smart phones | [31] | ? | ? | ? | .[32] Intended for use on old mobile devices | |||
Wireless system updates | [33] | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ||||||
GPU accelerated GUI | [34] | . Since 3.0[35] | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | |||||
Feature | Android | iOS | HarmonyOS | Tizen | KaiOS | Sailfish OS | Ubuntu Touch | Mobian | Plasma Mobile | PureOS | PostmarketOS |
Feature | Android | iOS | Tizen | Sailfish OS | Ubuntu Touch | HarmonyOS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
While-in-use permissions | [36] | |||||
Per-app Internet access | No,[37] 3rd party software[38] | [39] 3rd party software on jailbroken devices[40] | ||||
Per-app identity access | [41] | [42] [43] | ||||
Per-app user data access | [44] | [45] | ||||
Per-app background execution | No,[46] 3rd party apps available[47] | [48] | ||||
Per-app notifications | [49] | [50] [51] | ||||
Per-app location access | [52] | |||||
Per-app camera access | [53] | |||||
Per-app microphone access | [54] | |||||
Per-app shared files access | [55] | |||||
Per-app network data usage auditing | [56] | [57] | ? | [58] | ||
Fine grained storage usage | [59] | [60] | ? | |||
Parental controls | or 3rd party software[61] | [62] | ? | |||
Screen orientation lock | [63] | ? | [64] | |||
File manager | [65] | [66] | 3rd party software[67] | [68] | ||
File manager write access to external storage | Or 3rd party software like LineageOS | |||||
Multi-user | [69] [70] | [71] | ||||
Guest mode | [72] | [73] | ||||
Guided Access | [74] | [75] | [76] | |||
Do not disturb mode | [77] | [78] | ||||
App groups | [79] | ? | [80] | |||
Feature | Android | iOS | Tizen | Sailfish OS | Ubuntu Touch | HarmonyOS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Official app store | Google Play | App Store | Tizen Store | Jolla Store | OpenStore | AppGallery |
Non-discriminatory stores | No, Some apps like Ad blockers are censored on Google Play[86] [87] but developers can distribute apps from their own sources | , Apple discriminates based on country[88] and own Apple policies[89] | ? | , Huawei discriminates based on country and own Huawei AppGallery policies for native based HarmonyOS apps. But OpenHarmony developers can distribute apps from their own sources[90] | ||
Common APIs for smartphones, tablets, and PCs | [91] | [92] | ||||
Official SDK platform(s) | Linux, macOS and Windows[93] | macOS using iOS SDK | Linux, Windows, macOS[94] | Windows, macOS and Linux[95] | macOS and Windows[96] | |
Cost to develop for the mobile OS | Free | , Requires Apple hardware.[97] | Free | Free | Free | Free |
Cost to publish app to official store | US$25 once to register to offer on Google Play[98] | US$99/year | Free | Free[99] | Free | Free |
Feature | Android | iOS | Tizen | Sailfish OS | Ubuntu Touch | HarmonyOS | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Default web browser/engine | WebKit | Gecko[100] | Qt WebEngine (based on Blink) | Blink (Servo - OniroOS/OpenHarmony) | |||
Major web browsers available[101] | Chrome for Android, Opera, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Samsung Internet | Safari, Chrome for iOS, Opera, Firefox, Microsoft Edge | Tizen Browser (Based on UC Browser) | Sailfish Browser (Gecko), Webcat (WebKit), Web Pirate (WebKit), others via Android (Firefox, Chrome, Opera) | Morph Browser | Huawei Browser, Microsoft Edge (Blink), UC Browser (Blink, V8), Opera browser (Blink, V8), Yandex Browser (Blink), Vivaldi Browser (Blink, V8) | |
Browser can use its own engine | [102] | ||||||
Browser extensions | No[103] 3rd party software[104] | [105] | |||||
Browser direct Internet connection (increased resilience to outages) | ? | ? | |||||
Browser undo close tab | [106] | [107] | [108] | ||||
Browser keeps windows open on shutdown or crash | Google Chrome[109] but not on the deprecated AOSP browser[110] | ||||||
Browser keeps windows open when cleaning cookies | [111] | ? | |||||
Browser search engine options | Many[112] | Bing, Google, Yahoo! Search, DuckDuckGo, Ecosia | Bing, Google, Yahoo, Yandex. Baidu, DuckDuckGo, StartPage, Searx, ixquick, Swisscows, Qwant, Seznam, Hulbee via openrepos | Baidu, Bing, DuckDuckGo, Ecosia, Google, lilo, Peekier, Qwant, Wikipedia, Yahoo | Bing, Google, Yahoo! Search, Baidu, DuckDuckGo | ||
Browser find on page | [113] | [114] | [115] | ||||
Browser–email save images | [116] | ? | |||||
Browser–email save PDFs | [117] | ||||||
Browser save audio/video | [118] 5+: 3rd party software[119] | ||||||
Browser save page | , Google Chrome 55+[120] | 4.0.1.48+ | |||||
Browser save any file | , Chrome for Android. | 5+: When an app that can handle/open the filetype is installed (excluding audio/video – requires 3rd party software[123]);[124] | ? | ||||
Browser force enable zoom | , Chrome for Android | [125] | ? | ? | ? | ||
Browser text reflow[126] | , removed on Android 4.4[127] [128] | [129] [130] 3rd party browsers on prior versions[131] | |||||
Browser Reader Mode | No,[132] 3rd party software[133] [134] | [135] | |||||
Browser open PDFs without storing | |||||||
Browser file upload | [136] |
Feature | Android | iOS | Tizen | Sailfish OS | Ubuntu Touch | HarmonyOS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cut, copy, and paste | [151] | [152] | [153] | |||
Multi-Device clipboard | [154] | [155] | ||||
Undo | [156] | [157] | [158] | [159] | ||
Custom home and lock screen wallpaper | (incl. Ambience) | |||||
Desktop sync | No,[160] but available using the vendor's companion/PC suite application such as Samsung Smart Switch & HTC Sense[161] | ? | [162] | |||
Local full backup | , via external computer[163] | [164] | [165] | [166] | ||
Core data missing sync | Bookmarks[167] (before 4), SMSs and Settings[168] | ? | ? | ? | ||
Notification center | [169] | |||||
Push notifications | [170] | [171] | ||||
Screenshot | [172] | [173] | [174] | |||
iCalendar import | No,[175] but 3rd party app available[176] | [177] | ? | [178] | ||
Text/document support (read only; creating using third-party apps) | Microsoft Office, PDF, TXT/RTF | Microsoft Office,[179] [180] [181] iWork, PDF, Images, TXT/RTF, VCF | Read only: text files, PDF, HTML, Multiple office formats | Microsoft Office, OpenDocument, PDF, Text | Microsoft Office, WPS Office, Huawei Docs, PDF, Images, TXT/RTF, VCF and Multiple office formats | |
Printer support | using Google Cloud Print[182] but not over USB unless proprietary vendor solutions such as HP Print Service are used[183] | [184] | yes, cups package is available | (Huawei Print,[185] AI Life [186] for HarmonyOS Connect Printers) | ||
Show remembered Wi-Fi connections | [187] | ? | ||||
Feature | Android | iOS | Tizen | Sailfish OS | Ubuntu Touch | HarmonyOS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unified Inbox | [188] | ? | ||||
Email sync protocols supported | POP3, IMAP, MAPI | POP3, IMAP, MAPI, ActiveSync[189] | POP3, IMAP | POP3, IMAP, ActiveSync | ? | POP3, IMAP, MAPI |
Non-carrier-based integrated messaging | (iMessage)[190] | ? | 3rd party software | 3rd party software | 3rd party software | |
Visual voicemail | [191] | ? | ? | ? | ||
Call log duration | [192] | [193] | ? | |||
Multiple mobile phones per contact | ? | |||||
Contact groups | [194] or 3rd party software[195] | [196] | [197] | ? | [198] | |
Voice over IP | [199] or 3rd party software[200] | 3rd party software[201] | [202] | 3rd party software | 3rd party software | [203] |
NFC payment software | [204] 3rd party banking and other apps in the financial field also supported.[205] | , limited to Apple Pay | ||||
Tethering | Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot, USB, Bluetooth | 4.3+: Personal Hotspot (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB; carrier dependent) | microUSB, Bluetooth 3.0, Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot | Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot, USB, Bluetooth | Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot | Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot, USB, Bluetooth |
USB On-The-Go | [206] [207] | [208] 9+: Only for connecting cameras | ||||
Direct file transfer over Wi-Fi Direct | and selected devices.[209] [210] Also Quick Share. | No, 3rd party software on jailbroken devices | , was available on bada 2+,[211] but removed on Tizen | [212] | ||
DHCP v4 | Yes | Yes | ? | ? | ? | Yes |
DHCP v6 | No | Yes | ? | ? | ? | No |
Direct file transfer over Bluetooth | .[213] Also Quick Share. | , was available on bada,[214] but removed on Tizen | [215] but limited to images, videos and contacts | |||
Direct file transfer over NFC | ||||||
Feature | Android | iOS | Tizen | Sailfish OS | Ubuntu Touch | HarmonyOS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non-English languages support | [216] | [217] [218] [219] | ||||
Underlining spell checker | [220] [221] | [222] | ? | |||
Built-in system-wide dictionary | [223] | [224] | ||||
Autoexpanding text replacements | [225] | ? | ? | ? | ||
Keyboard next word prediction | , through the built in Gboard[226] or from the preinstalled vendor keyboards; Available on all devices | [227] | ||||
Keyboard cursor controller | ||||||
Optical character recognition input method | , through built-in Google Lens or Bixby Vision[232] | [233] 11+: Notes app;[234] 8+: Only for inputting credit card details[235] | ||||
Third party input methods | [236] | ? | ? | ? | ||
Gesture text input | [237] | [238] 8+: 3rd party software like SwiftKey | ? | [239] | ||
Emoji support | [240] | [241] | ? | [242] 3rd party software[243] | ||
Feature | Android | iOS | Tizen | Sailfish OS | Ubuntu Touch | HarmonyOS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Safe driving mode | 3rd party software | [244] | ? | ? | ? | [245] |
Turn-by-turn navigation | [246] | [247] | ? | 3rd party software | [248] | |
Offline maps | 3rd party software Google Maps,[249] Here WeGo | [250] | ? | 3rd party software | 3rd party software | [251] |
Alternative routes in maps | [252] | [253] [254] | ? | 3rd party software | 3rd party software | |
Feature | Android | iOS | Tizen | Sailfish OS | Ubuntu Touch | HarmonyOS | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Audio playback | AAC LC/LTP 3GPP, HE-AACv1 (AAC+), HE-AACv2 (enhanced AAC+) AMR-NB, AMR-WB, MP3, MIDI (Type 0 and 1, DLS versions 1 and 2), Ogg Vorbis, PCM/WAVE, FLAC, WAVE, Opus[255] | AAC, protected AAC (from iTunes Store), HE-AAC, MP3, MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, 4, Audible Enhanced Audio, AAX, and AAX+), Apple Lossless, AIFF, WAV[256] | AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, AMR-NB, AMR-WB, MP3, Vorbis, WAV[257] | MP3, FLAC, AAC, eAAC, eAAC+, ALAC, AC3, DTS, Opus, Vorbis | ? | AAC LC/LTP 3GPP, HE-AACv1 (AAC+), HE-AACv2 (enhanced AAC+) AMR-NB, AMR-WB, MP3, MIDI (Type 0 and 1, DLS versions 1 and 2), Ogg Vorbis, PCM/WAVE, FLAC, WAVE, Opus | |
Video playback | H.263, H.264 (up to Baseline Profile), H.265 HEVC, MPEG-4 SP, DivX, XviD, VP8, VP9 (WMV on 3rd party software like VLC media player) | H.264 (up to High Profile), MPEG-4, M-JPEG | H.263, H.264, MPEG-4 Part 2 | MPEG-4, H264, H263,[258] although audio in recorded videos is out of sync[259] | ? | H.263, H.264 (up to Baseline Profile), H.265 HEVC, MPEG-4 SP, DivX, XviD, VP8, VP9 (WMV on 3rd party software like VLC media player) | |
Wired video out | [260] | [261] or VGA,[262] 576p/480p via component[263] or composite;[264] | [265] | ||||
Wired digital audio output | USB Audio[266] | [267] | |||||
Wireless video/audio streaming to set top boxes/TVs/speakers | Miracast,[268] but DLNA[269] only available on selected devices | [270] | [271] | ? | |||
Media player on-device playlist creation | [272] | ? | |||||
Media player video scrubbing | ? | ? | ? | ||||
Media player audio scrubbing | ? | ? | ? | ||||
Media player fine scrubbing | No,[273] 3rd party software like VLC media player, basic fine scrubbing removed on 4+[274] | [275] | ? | ? | ? | ||
Media player double speed playing | [276] | [277] | ? | ? | ? | ||
Feature | Android | iOS | Tizen | Sailfish OS | Ubuntu Touch | HarmonyOS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bluetooth keyboard | [280] | [281] [282] | ||||
USB keyboard | ||||||
Interchangeable external memory cards | [283] | [284] | ||||
Feature | Android | iOS | Tizen | Sailfish OS | Ubuntu Touch | HarmonyOS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Camera focus at specified point | [285] | ? | [286] | |||
Camera exposure metering from specified point | ,[287] available on some phones.[288] [289] | [290] | ? | |||
On device picture info (including Exif data) | [291] | previous versions date and location only; more with 3rd party software | ? | |||
On device picture categorization | [292] 3rd party software like TouchWiz[293] | [294] | ? | |||
On device picture description and search | [295] | Items/objects in picture;[296] 7+: Only date and location[297] | ? | |||
Turn off shutter sound | [298] | [299] | [300] | |||
Picture crop | [301] | |||||
Photo rotation | ||||||
Photo red-eye reduction | [302] | [303] | ||||
HDR photos option | , some manufacturers earlier[304] | [305] | [306] | |||
Photo/video import from memory cards | [307] | |||||
Video trim | ? | |||||
Feature | Android | iOS | Tizen | Sailfish OS | Ubuntu Touch | HarmonyOS | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Multitasking | [308] 4–6: Limited[309] | ||||||
Quick app switching | [310] | via 3D Touch;[311] 5+: only on iPad[312] | |||||
Document-centric multitasking | [313] | [314] | |||||
Split-screen app usage | [315] | only on iPad with 2 GB RAM or more[316] | [317] | No [318] | |||
Desktop interactive widgets | [319] | ||||||
Lock screen widgets | (Notifications and settings). Full Widgets on Android 4.2–4.4 only.[320] [321] | ||||||
Notification view widgets | |||||||
Quick settings toggles | [322] | [323] | |||||
Search multiple internal apps at once | [324] | ||||||
Settings search | or 3rd party software like LineageOS[325] | [326] | |||||
Search all fields of internal objects | [327] | [328] | [329] | ? | |||
Core apps missing search | Calendar[330] (available since 3+ and HTC Sense) | Bookmarks[331] | ? | ? | ? | ||
Phone number links to dialer | [332] | ||||||
Addresses links to maps | [333] nor in Gmail[334] | [335] | ? | ? | |||
Dates links to calendar | [336] | ? | |||||
Feature | Android | iOS | Tizen | Sailfish OS | Ubuntu Touch | HarmonyOS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Custom ringtones | [337] | |||||
Custom SMS/MMS tones | [338] | [339] | ? | |||
Custom vibrate alert patterns | No,[340] possible on some Samsung devices such as Galaxy S III, but limited[341] | [342] [343] | ? | |||
Dismiss repeating alarm clock before trigger | [344] | [345] | ? | |||
Tap to snooze[346] | [347] | |||||
Feature | Android | iOS | Tizen | Sailfish OS | Ubuntu Touch | HarmonyOS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Proxy server | [348] but only global, not per connection[349] and only works for the browser[350] 3rd party apps available[351] | [352] | ||||
On-device encryption | [353] but insecure on Qualcomm devices[354] | [355] (3rd party software may attempt brute-force attacks on password[356]) | [357] | |||
External storage encryption | ||||||
Zero knowledge encryption[358] | [359] and shared with the American PRISM surveillance program. | data stored on iCloud is accessible by Apple[360] [361] [362] [363] [364] [365] and shared with the American PRISM surveillance program.[366] | ? | ? | ||
Privacy of synchronization[367] | 3rd party software like ownCloud[368] | ? | ? | ? | ||
Sync to cloud communication encryption | [369] | [370] | ? | ? | ? | [371] |
Wireless anti-tracking[372] | [373] | ? | ||||
Remote device location tracking | [374] | [375] | ? | ? | ||
Remote device locking and/or data wipe | [376] | ? | ? | |||
End-to-end encrypted push notifications | [377] | ? | ? | |||
SSH Client | [378] [379] | ? | ||||
VPN | [380] | [381] | ? | |||
OpenVPN | No, but possible with 3rd party firmware[382] | [383] | ? | No, but possible with 3rd party apps | ||
WPA PEAP | [384] | [385] | ? | [386] | ||
Feature | Android | iOS | Tizen | Sailfish OS | Ubuntu Touch | HarmonyOS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Separate volume for ringtone and media | ? | |||||
Voice commands | [387] | (Siri) | ? | |||
Offline voice commands | [388] | [389] | ? | |||
Voice recognition | (Siri) | ? | ||||
Offline voice recognition | [390] | |||||
Non-English voice recognition | ? | |||||
Sound recorder | [392] and not voice controlled) | [393] [394] | 3rd party software[395] | |||
Call recorder | , Phone by Google,[396] but also possible with 3rd party firmware[397] | / 3rd party software[398] | ? | |||
Sound trim | No,[399] but 3rd party software available[400] | [401] | ? | ? | ? | |
Feature | Android | iOS | Tizen | Sailfish OS | Ubuntu Touch | HarmonyOS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non-intrusive incoming calls | [402] or 3rd party software[403] | [404] | [405] | ? | ||
Non-intrusive notifications | [406] | [407] | ? | ? | ? | |
Move apps to external storage | [408] | |||||
Remote Frame Buffer (RFB) protocol | [409] | [410] | ? | ? | ? | |
Screencast on device | [411] | [412] | ||||
Screencast over USB | over USB, for prior versions root required for 3rd party app[413] | on OS X[414] | ? | |||
Screen share | [415] [416] [417] | [418] | ||||