iPhone OS 4 versus Windows Phone 7: the tale of the tape
By Chris Ziegler 
posted April 8th 2010 5:51PM
posted April 8th 2010 5:51PM
| iPhone OS 4  |
iPhone OS 3.1.3  |
Windows Phone 7  |
Windows Mobile 6.5.3  |
| Kernel Type | OS X | OS X | Windows CE 6 | Windows CE 5 |
| Platform Adaptability | Good | Good | Good | Excellent |
| Platform Age | Adolescent | Adolescent | Young | Mature |
| First-party Enterprise Support | Exchange | Exchange | Exchange | Exchange |
| Wireless Tech | GSM, WiFi | GSM, WiFi | GSM, CDMA, WiFi | GSM, CDMA, WiFi |
| Screen Gestures | Yes | Yes | Yes | Limited |
| Screen Tech | Capacitive | Capacitive | Capacitive | Capacitive / Resistive |
| Multitouch | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| UI skinning | Limited | No | No | Yes |
| Input methods | Virtual / external keyboards | Virtual keyboard only | Virtual / physical keyboards | Virtual / physical keyboards, T9 / triple tap, character recognition |
| Notification style | Modal pop-up, icon badge | Modal pop-up, icon badge | Unobtrusive banner / pop-up | Modal pop-up |
| Contact integration / management | Exchange ActiveSync, Mac OS Address Book, Google Sync | Exchange ActiveSync, Mac OS Address Book, Google Sync | Exchange ActiveSync, Google Sync | Exchange ActiveSync, Google Sync, Domino, BlackBerry |
| Multitasking | Limited / managed | No | Limited / managed | Yes |
| Copy / paste | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Media support / ecosystem | iTunes | iTunes | Zune | None |
| Global search | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Firmware updates | Tethered | Tethered | Tethered, OTA | Tethered, limited OTA |
| Browser Engine | WebKit | WebKit | Trident (IE) | Trident (IE) |
| Tethering | Yes (varies by carrier) | Yes (varies by carrier) | Unknown | Yes |
| Stereo Blutooth | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| SDK Availability / Support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Official App Store | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| App Availability | High | High | Low (unreleased) | Medium |
| Native Applications | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Unsigned Applications | No | No | No | Yes |
| On-Device App Management | Excellent | Good (no folders) |
Good (no folders) |
Good |
Seems like iPhone 4.0 will take Windows Phone 7...
@CJisohsocool
and Android will take them all!
@iKanye
I am starting to love Android xD I just wish at&t will learn to work nice with it and give us some actual good android phones
@CJisohsocool
Pretty much... It'll always be behind Apple in the OS coming this late into the game.
I don't like how they have changed the function of double click of home like 3 times now I liked the old bringing up ipod controls so you didn't need to open the app to start music.
They could maybe add a few media buttons to the side but I know Apple would never do that. Add buttons? MADNESS!
@CJisohsocool How can you anybody really compare against Windows Phone 7? It's unreleased and is still in development.
@CJisohsocool
Based off this list WinMo 6.5 stacks up pretty nicely. No wonder so many followers are not thrilled about 7 (at the moment).
@EJ A
Same could be said with iOS 4.0
Neither are released as of today
Reporter: What about Meego?
Jobs: If you see linux, they blew it
@CJisohsocool i hope microsoft will figure out some sort of multitasking solution on WP7 before launching it.
Let's hope
@iKanye seriously now everyone is just catching up to Android I hope their Froyo is cooking in their labs...always moving forward
@CJisohsocool:
I am hugely disappointed in iPhone 4.0. iAd is the biggest joke I've ever seen. All of a sudden Steve has Apple fans completely content with ads, and that's crap.
Unless Apple can surprise me with excellent iPhone hardware this summer, I will be switching to WP7.
@Jordan .. You bring up Apple fans and then talk about buying WP7 without even seeing the device. Nice.
@taligent:
Not sure what you're getting at. Being force-fed ads on a device you already own is completely different than wanting WP7, though having never touched it. Like I said man, if they impress me hardware wise I'll get a new iPhone, but I have a 3G and as of right now, 4.0 isn't worth buying a new phone just for multitasking.
Want to talk about buying a device before using it? Look at the iPad and all the people who pre-ordered it.
@Jordan
Free apps already have ads, so 4.0 will have more interactive ads why is it a joke?
@CJisohsocool At&t are getting the Dell Aero and Samsung Galaxy S, but they're gonna restrict the hell out of them. They wont even be Android phones is horrible. Thats At&t for you.. puppets to Apple.
@taligent
Jordan had a valid point. You all should be less sensative when someone doesn't bow to everything apple does.
@CJisohsocool the nexus one is available through google.com/phone. it now supports att's 3g bands.
@iKanye Android will defragment itself to oblivion. Sorry but open source doesnt work for something that new and completely different hardware is coming out monthly. Imagine buying the newest motorola phone only to find out it cant upgrade to the next version of android when it came out a week later. or how about seeing an app in the app store, and it only work on a specific set of phones due to the need for a keyboard or a specific processor or anything else..
@Jordan
How is this ad system worse than the ZuneHD (and presumably WP7, given the same application support) pre-roll ads? Those you have to watch full screen before you can use the App, these will still be banners. That seems like more intense force-feeding to me.
@Amasha They did. It's called "pre-emptive multitasking". It was announced long before multitasking in iPhone OS 4 and works in much the same way. No one has seen exactly how it will work, but it's functionally the same: pause an app and send it to the background, switch to another; save an app's state and exit for immediate recall upon reopening; or become approved to run parts in the background.
@blacksilva
I want a phone thats 3G works
@iKanye Had a Droid. It's a mess. Upgrade path for firmware and OS sucks. It's like pandora's box.
The problem with comparisons like this is that it doesn't take the user experience into account at all. Unfortunately, Droid's open platform sucks for most users. Security sucks. Upgrades and installs suck.
Based on "specs" it looks like Win 6.5 would rule. Unfortunately it's brutal. Hence WP7. However, WP7 is building towards where iPhone 2-3 is and not where iPhone 4 or 5 is.
For 95% of users, the iPhone is hands down the best. Apple has by far the highest customer satisfaction coupled with an "unheard of" 95% customer retention rate. I can tell you that AT&T isn't the reason for retention.
@fais Its funny how MS released Xbox Live support for WP7 and apple has to come in and release something very very similar, and as of the task manager thing with WP7 you don't even have to look at what apps are currently running you just do what you want to do and saving states and stuff will be taken care of in the background, while on 4.0 you actually see what apps are running and you can kill them if you want, that is still like a task manager where you see what apps are running and you can kill them.
@CJisohsocool
to be honest, its kinda surprising how many green boxes are in the 6.5.x corner. as much of an old dog as it is, it still continues to be one of my favorites mobile OSs ever. as long as you have a phone that has enough cpu HP to give it a good experience, it truly remains one of the few OSs on the market where you can do what you want, how you want to, when you want to, w/out having to ask for permission. oh yeah, and you can customize the SHIIIIET outta it. though i get bored w/ you sometimes, and webOS, android, and many others make me envious at times. you'll always been forever in my heart 6.5.x :)
@CJisohsocool
According to this chart, Windows Mobile 6.5.3 wins. So I'll probably stick with that or switch to Android later on.
@CJisohsocool
Engadget, you might waana double check your 'No' for global search in WM6.5. As WM has had a global search since WM5.
Go to Start > Programs > Search
It's present in WM6.1 but can't be certain on newer versions.
@Amasha: on multitasking in WP7, it has the ability to do the same type of multitasking that iPhone OS 4 does. In fact, it CAN fully multitask, but it will not be implemented at launch.
This is true of UI skinning as well. This was actually in the leaked developer docs that engadget posted after MWC and before MIX, though custom UIs will be limited at launch (though hardware and carrier partners may be able to do some limited changes).
MS has been pretty clear that they plan on starting at a more restricted state (same thing with copy/paste, which they may actually have implemented by the time it RTMs according to Paul Thurrott and others).
The reason for the limited start is, like Apple, to ensure a more universal experience, and as the platform matures, they'll be more open. I've heard the phrase "crawl, walk then run" a couple of times now.
@sonicyoof To be fair, Engadget really should put the WinMo 6 browser engine in red.
@bjsguess
Plus we generally get Opera installed on WinMo 6.5 no need for the crap that is trident. On device app management is awesome. I just download cab files OTA onto my SD card and install or use the marketplace on the phone. I don't see how it can get better. Plus we have the choice to install to SD card. Notification Style - modal popup my ass. I haven't seen any modal popups on HTC Sense 2.5.
@abugida
Nobody uses it anymore on new phones. See Opera Mobile 10.
@iKanye I'm all for android here, but I think competition is great too. Let's just see how these platforms plays out. I just thought, if iphone wants to upgrade and make their ads interactive, then they should have a good procs to run it smoothly. Opinions - http://bit.ly/iphone-going-4-0
@Amasha
Microsoft should allow plug-ins on Windows Phone 7. For example, who need multitasking if Pandora can integrate directly with the Music + Video Hub?
@Beinss
You're view on Android is correct and Microsoft knows that, that's why WP7 has specific hardware requirements, in time I think Google week realize that , and well have 3 good OSs to choose from. (iPhone, WP7, Android)
@EggoEspada Yeah this AT&T crap is really irritating me. Seems like they are trying to appease Apple by doing this. Really hope the samsung galaxy s is not restricted by them. If all the android handset makers would stand up to AT&T and threaten to pull ALL of their handsets from them then AT&T would have to cave regardless of apple since apple has half of their customers if AT&T doesn't cave they won't be losing much because who would buy a crappy restricted version of android.
@CJisohsocool
The ifanboys parade continues.
@kahtoh
If given the chance to pay for the Zune HD apps to remove the ads, would you?
Didn't think so.
@CJisohsocool
Wow, I knew it! Ive been saying it in all the other post but all the Apple supporters have been...well supporting their OS, but it doesnt run complete multitasking as we would desire.
@kahtoh @Psyg Doesn't matter, either way, the Zune doesn't have ads on their apps anymore.
@Amasha The unlocked Windows 7 emulator shows task manager.
@Jordan
The problem that Apple is trying to address with iAds has to do with the economic viability of their developer community. Ads were already present, but they take the user away from their application by switching to the web browser. Now ads, fed by Apple's servers, can be full blown applications, making them far more interactive and attractive. Application developers decide whether they need this feature. Expect everyone else in the industry to follow suit.
@kahtoh yeah, well they just took off all of the ads as of monday. so no more of that dragging Zuners down.
@Danno Bonano
Yup, although Iphone is catching up slowly and become reasonably good now, but Wm6.5 still beat Iphone ass in lots of places. But as long as I still see 1 same single hardware for the school kids and working class, its a deal breaker for me. A grown-up rocking the same toy as a child? ITs also like I refuse to wear the same jeans design like everyone else, and go like 'hey buddy, we all wear the same jean, how cool is that , isn't this the best jeans ever?!
@hhl
You are right on. Seriously - who uses IE on their 6.5 phone? You have different browser choices right now that stack up well against Android and certainly the iPhone.
The beauty of WinMo is customization. People that hate WinMo don't customize. And I get that. Some people just don't want to go through the work. However, for the rest of us, throwing on new ROM's and dropping in new cabs is all part of the phone of having a device. I can radically change the way my device looks and behaves with just a few clicks. And if I really want to get crazy I'm a few clicks away from running Android.
I get where the WP7 is going. I understand the wild success of the iPhone. I just wonder where all the people like me will end up. Android is fine but is still really lacking. Maybe it's time to look at Nokia and the N900. Or maybe it's time to drop down to a dumb phone and invest my money into a new 5-7" slate to handle all my mobile but non-calling activities.
@kahtoh Zune HD 4.5 update removed those ads.
@bjsguess
The funny thing is how many people buy a smartphone and then treat it like a dumbphone. The whole reason smartphones are called that is that they have a real operating system that can run actual programs. I love my wife but bless her little heart, she didn't even know the iPhone app store existed until I told her 6 months after she got her iPhone. And she wasn't the one that installed her first app, I was.
Meanwhile, I'm installing custom ROMs and radios on my HTC Fuze all over the place. I can tether my phone (which has come in handy during some power outages over the winter), I've got Opera 10, I've got the latest HTC TouchFlo interface and none of AT&T's crapware. I get double the battery life that I did when this thing was new (and double my wife's iPhone - with real multitasking!). This is what having a smartphone is all about.
I also get the fact that not everybody wants to invest the time and energy into this, but I'm definitely moving to Android for my next phone because it's going to end up being the last bastion for the power user. Both the iPhone OS and WM7 are dumbed down for those who want their smartphones to be dumbphones. That may be fine for the majority of people, but I want something more from my phone these days. I want to treat my smartphone like the pocket computer it really is.
For right now, WM6.5 really is at least the second best mobile OS out there... if you slap the right UI on top of it. (Which is very easy to do, unlike with some other mobile OS's.)
@wilvo I'll reference what Jobs said in a slide:
"If we said we wanted to put an ad up every 3 minutes, that's 10 ads per device per day. That would be 1 billion ad opportunities per day."
Now, given he probably said this number to be on the grand side of things, however, anything more than 1 or 2 ads to play the game is much more than the current status quo. The big worry is, interrupting or freezing game functions to play a game.
"Media support / ecosystem"
Um, WinMo6 lets you use WMP and simple drag/drop. It wins.
As for SDK availability, WinMo6 wins again. There are free versions you can get, and it doesnt need a mac
@Beinss
You seem to have missed the lil detail that only the 3GS will support the multitasking ability! De-fragmenting aye?
@CJisohsocool Not without Native apps. Damn so Windows phone 7 doesn't have Native Apps?? WTF.