Android and iPhone Operating Systems - Essay Example

ANDROID AND IPHONE OPERATING SYSTEM By (Student‘s Name) Course Title Instructor’s Name Institution Date Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 1.0 Introduction 3 2.0 Smartphone Operating System 3 2.1 Android Operating System 3 2.2 iPhone Operating System 4 2.3 iPhone Verses Android 5 3.0 Closed and Open Platform Analysis 7 3.1 SDK 7 3.2 Security 8 3.3 Integration 9 4.0 Conclusion 10 References 11 1.0 Introduction IPhone OS and Android are smart phone giant operating systems providers. Android is an open source operating system founded on virtual machine of Dalvik and Linux kernel. Android’s upper layer is based on Java, permitting developers to build up applications of Android using Google SDK. The created software is then sold in Android market. On the other hand, iPhone OS is a closed source operating system, founded on Darwin model and UNIX kernel. This OS evolved from Mac OS X also, it is the default OS for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. Additionally, software based on objective C are capable of running in iPhone OS and unlike Android, one can develop applications of iPhone and sell them through App stores. In comparison, the latest iPhone OS and Android applications; iOS 4 and Android 2.2 Froyo respectively can be used to get a glance of the chief feature of closed and open smart phone OSs. This report is based on review of researchers’ journals, collection and evaluation of their findings, thorough analysis of the results and lastly drawing of a conclusion based on the analysis. 2.0 Smartphone Operating System 2.1 Android Operating System The Android system architecture contains five layers that include Applications, Application Framework, Libraries, Android Runtime and Linux kernel from top to bottom. Additionally, android gives core services such as drivers, network stack, process management, memory management, and security, based on Linux 2. Linux kernel layer hides hardware implementing details and gives upper layer integrated services being the layer of abstract between hardware and software. There is inclusion of Java core libraries and virtual machine of Dalvik in Android Runtime layer, offering the majority functions in Java core libraries. The Libraries layer contains C/C++ class for components of android. The libraries are made available to the developers after being integrated with the Application Framework layer. Application Framework layer gives all forms of program initialization modules to simplify components use, thus permitting the developers to carry their operations and give other software services, definitely under limitation of security. Mainstream applications are situated in the Application layer, which include contacts, Web browser, Google map, calendar, SMS and e-mail. This layer interacts directly with the user (Zuo et al, 2011). Android latest version; android 2.2 Froyo, has added features such as Support Flash 10.1 that enable the phone users to watch flash; V8 JavaScript engine which brings about faster internet facts transportation in web browser; network sharing huge advances whereby one can employ a phone as a 3G NIC, or change 3G signal to Wi-Fi, automatic update of software and lastly ability to set up software in SD card to expand storages of file (lbid, 2011). 2.2 iPhone Operating System IPhone OS contains four abstract layers that include Cocoa Touch, Media, Core Service, and Core OS respectively. Core service and Core OS layers are created in C language to deal with services of core system, which allows developers to execute data handling, sockets calling and file access. Additionally, SQLite and CFNetwork are constituents of the two layers. As the name suggest, Media layer is employed in audio and video control, as well as in 3D and 2D images handling. The GL-ES Quartz open layer part is coded in C language, while Core-Animation and Core-Audio parts are based on objective C. The Cocoa Touch layer which is based on objective C builds an essential framework for all kind of iPhone programs and in which majority of programs are executed. The four layers are arranged as shown in the figure 1 below (Liu et al, 2011). Figure 1: iOS Technology Layers IOS 4 is the most recent iPhone OS. It contains new features that include classification of software, a feature that allows sorted software to be placed into diverse documents by users. Thus enhancing clear management; E-mail integration where unit account contains all e-mails from different providers; iBook, which was initially found in iPad is now created in iOS; lastly, a spanking new Apple Game Centre that makes iPhone to be ranked as a marvellous platform for entertainment (lbid, 2011). 2.3 iPhone Verses Android In comparison, the two top smart phones OSs have varying features, which are unique in their operation. Some of these features are; Android 2.2 Froyo that give full support of multitasking, meaning that one can write blog while listening to music. While in iOS 4, only Apple authorized software can be executed simultaneously. The operation principle of these applications is cheaper than that of multitasking; once an application is toggled out, its present condition is saved and it is then closed by the system, and when toggled in again it resumes from previous snapshot. During Android 2.2 Froyo publications, it was announced that the new version of Android contained a web browser that is most fluent. This is because it was created using V8 JavaScript Engine, which is a sparkling new engine, created for handling large size JavaScript applications. V8 has been proved through tests to be faster than Jscript of internet explorer, JavaScript Core of Safari and Spider Monkey of Firefox. This owe to V8 three chief parts which are; fast access to attributes, generation of dynamic code, effective cleaning of trash. Additionally, there is collaboration between Google and Adobe; therefore, Android 2.2 Froyo support full flash use which include flash media and all web pages flash can perfectly display on Android. Contrary, Adobe was turned down by Apple which took HTML5 as web protocol of iPhone; therefore, cutting off flash based animation. Additionally, Android 2.2 froyo guides toward network sharing. A smart phone running Froyo can be linked as a 3G NIC to a PC in addition to conveniently changing of 3G signal to Wi-Fi. The previous can also take place in iOS 4 but latter is too complicated for iOS 4 (Zuo et al, 2011). The two; iOS 4 and Froyo support video conferencing; although, they operate at varying conditions, one can always see a user of Froyo through a camera, provided he/she has a camera too. However, user of iOS 4 can only perform video talk to another iOS 4 user. While Android is a network interaction ascendant, Apple is unique in entertainment and users friendship. The software classification added features enables user placement of sorted software into varying documents thus, attaining clearer documents to manage. In addition, App Store contains many applications therefore; it can handle very many functions. This is one of the most remarkable features publicized by apple (lbid, 2011). 3.0 Closed and Open Platform Analysis 3.1 SDK SDK is the most essential part in development of every platform since it allows third party developers to create platform software. Usually, emulators debug tools, and libraries are incorporated in SDK. SDK is distributed differently by different platforms where some are completely open and free, whereas others are sternly limited. Open platform developers can acquire and adjust part or entire source code. Linux and Google are open platforms leaders; they publicize the entire Linux and Android source code. The excellent point is, owners of platform can save huge amount of energy and time maintaining and developing the platform, since third party developer perform this on their behalf. Therefore, there is minimal cash spent on maintenance and development, making android comparatively cheap, an aspect that attracts extra phone users to it. Contrarily, source codes of closed platforms are locked for security purposes and prohibit access of the third party. Microsoft and apple are their representatives whereby, though they are all closed source software; there is some variation in their applications and operation. Third person iPhone applications are limited within constricted limits, in that, all applications to be uploaded into ‘App Store’ must be inspected by Apple, where most of them are rejected. On the other hand, Microsoft does not inspect the uploaded applications but just in case one compromises the rules he/she suffers the consequences. Therefore, android can be applied extensively to different Smartphone’s handsets while iOS can only be applied in Apple products (lbid, 2011). 3.2 Security IPhone and Android claim sole markets where application based on their platform are vendor in them. Normally, applications of iPhone are only found in ‘App Store’ where they are officially scrutinized thoroughly for security purposes. This has initiated the emergency of unofficial hacker built mechanism such as SIM unlock and Jailbreak who post some of the rejected applications. Jailbreak is a procedure that permits iPod touch, iPhone and iPad users to get root admission and unbolt the operating system getting rid of any apple imposed limitations. Once jail broken, users of iPhone can download numerous themes and extensions that were unavailable via App Store before by use of installed application known as Cydia. This increases chances of downloading malicious codes that would compromise the security of iPhone. Additionally, SIM lock is a GSM phone built capability by manufacturer of mobile phone. The providers of network apply their capability to limit the phones use in specific network providers and countries. Usually, phones can be bolted to recognize SIM cards founded only on International Mobile Subscriber Identity. The use of SIM lock enhances the use of mobile phone, devoid of considering networks and countries precise manufacturer of mobile phone (Gold, 2011). In contrast, Android applications in Google are not tested at all. Although, there is android application official market, one can also release a product at a place of choice. Considering security issues, some components such as SIM unlock and jailbreaks are banned by Google. Although this is thought to be a secure measure, Smartphone based on android operating system are still vulnerable as proved by S-mobile whose findings indicates that, about 20% of 50,000 Android’s available applications are illegally permitted to on-phone data access by third-party, which indicates that the data is susceptible to hackers’ exploitation (n.a. 2010). In their finding, S-Mobile realized that out of 20,000 applications sampled for their research work, half of those approved for access had applications that were regarded as suspicious, mostly matching access type employed by spyware. About 5% of sampled applications were proficient to call initiation beyond Smartphone malware using premium-rate silent calling numbers as a means of cyber clime revenue generation. The malicious calls technological connection is illustrated in the figure 2 below (Blasing et al., 2010). Figure 2: Steps Applied In Hijacked Read System Performance. 3.3 Integration The full publicizing model integration platform is extremely strict. Its administration range starts from manufacturing of device to application release, which is represented by Apple. The Apple factory creates iPhone, applications of Apple are sold in ‘App Store’, and the channel for apple resources is Apple’s iTunes. Therefore the entire process is confined under control of Apple. This limit application extensibility and portability. In contrast, Google uses Google android market platforms of integration, which is committed to software selling and development. Unlike apple, there is no handset manufacturing factory in Google, but they only create Android applications and set up their market. Android platforms can be applied in different Smartphone unlike iPhone that need one to have iPhone products to share an application. Therefore android is more portable and extensible than iOS (Zuo et al, 2011). 4.0 Conclusion Closed and open platforms representatives, iOS 4 and Android 2.2 Froyo are both hated and loved. Grand browsers are created in them, and their creators are both famous world revolutionist. Android slant internet experience, that comes along in a single continuous row with Google. IPhone OS centralises its attention on entertainment as it is very friendly, an aspect that makes it to possess higher usability quality than Android. Besides, the success of Android 2.2 Froyo open platform features application; it is users based platform since Froyo users can customize almost everything they feel like, and open hardest alliance members tends to give more user choices. On the other hand, iOS 4 a typical member of closed platform manages all from development of OS to device manufacturing. Both iPhone and Android have their distinctive SDK, IDE and other features. Among the two, none of them meets researchers and users’ needs in full. The platform choice bubbles down to researchers and user’s needs. This discussion should make it easier for users to choose on what they prefer most based on known qualities. References Bläsing, T., Batyuk, L., Schmidt, A.D., Camtepe, S.A. and Albayrak, S., 2010. An Android Application Sandbox System for Suspicious Software Detection. In Malicious and Unwanted Software (MALWARE), 2010 5th International Conference on, Nancy, Lorraine, pp. 55 – 62. Gold, S. 2011. Android Insecurity. Network Security, 2011(10), pp. 5-7. n.a. 2010. Smartphone Vulnerabilities. Network Security, 2010(7), p. 2 Liu, C., Zhu, Q., Holroyd, K. A. and Seng, E. K., 2011. Status and trends of mobile-health applications for iOS devices: A developer's perspective. Journal of Systems and Software, 84 (11), pp. 2022-2033. Zou, Y., Wu H. and Huang, J. 2011. An Analysis and Comparison of Open and Closed Mobile Platforms: Android vs. iPhone. Energy Procedia, 13, pp. 4584-4590. Read More