Mobile operating system facts for kids
A mobile operating system is like the brain of your smartphone, tablet, or smartwatch. It's the main software that lets you use apps, make calls, send messages, and browse the internet. Think of it as the boss that manages everything your mobile device does.
Unlike computers you might use at a desk, mobile operating systems are made especially for devices you can carry around. They often have special features like built-in wireless internet and phone connections. Today, billions of smartphones are sold each year, and most of them use mobile operating systems like Android or iOS. In fact, more people use smartphones than desktop computers to go online!
Your smartphone actually has two main software systems working together. One is the main system you see and interact with, like Android or iOS. The other is a special, hidden system that helps the phone connect to networks and handle calls.
Mobile operating systems have been the most used type of operating system in the world since 2017, especially for browsing the web.
Contents
- History of Mobile Operating Systems
- Current Mobile Operating Systems
- Discontinued Mobile Operating Systems
- Market Share of Mobile Operating Systems
- Images for kids
- See also
History of Mobile Operating Systems
The journey of mobile operating systems follows the development of mobile phones and early handheld devices.
Early Days (1990s)
- In 1993, Apple launched its Newton OS for portable computers.
- The first smartphone, the IBM Simon, appeared in 1994. It had a touchscreen and could send emails.
- In 1996, Palm OS was introduced with the Palm Pilot, a popular handheld organizer.
- Symbian OS started in 1997 and became very popular on Nokia phones later on.
The 2000s: New Players Emerge
- In 2001, Nokia released the first phone running Symbian that allowed users to install extra software.
- BlackBerry released its first smartphone in 2002, known for secure email.
- Microsoft introduced its first Windows CE (Pocket PC) smartphones in 2002.
- In 2007, Apple introduced the iPhone with its own operating system, then called "iPhone OS" (now iOS). It changed how people thought about smartphones.
- Later in 2007, the Open Handset Alliance, led by Google, was formed. This group worked on Android.
- In October 2008, the first Android phone, the HTC Dream, was released.
- In 2009, Palm introduced webOS, a new operating system for its phones.
The 2010s: Growth and Changes
- In 2010, Apple released the iPad, which used a version of iOS. This was the first time iOS supported tablets.
- Microsoft launched Windows Phone 7 in 2010, a new system that replaced its older Windows Mobile.
- In 2011, Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) came out, designed specifically for tablets.
- Nokia decided to switch from Symbian to Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 for its main smartphones in 2011.
- Amazon.com released Fire OS in 2011, a version of Android for its Kindle Fire tablets.
- In 2012, Mozilla announced Firefox OS, an operating system based on web technologies.
- BlackBerry launched its new BlackBerry 10 operating system in 2013.
- Apple released iOS 7 in 2013, bringing a fresh new look to iPhones.
- In 2014, Microsoft released Windows Phone 8.1. Nokia also tried a version of Android called Nokia X platform for a short time.
- Apple introduced watchOS for the Apple Watch in 2015.
- In 2016, Google released Android 7.0 "Nougat". Google also started working on a new operating system called Fuchsia.
- In 2017, Samsung launched Samsung Experience, its custom software based on Android, for its Galaxy phones.
- In 2018, Google released Android 9.0 "Pie".
- In 2019, Apple announced iPadOS, a special version of iOS designed for iPads to make multitasking easier.
- Huawei officially announced HarmonyOS in 2019.
- Google released Android 10 in 2019.
Current Mobile Operating Systems
These are some of the main operating systems you'll find on mobile devices today.
Android
Android is a very popular mobile operating system developed by Google. It's based on the Linux kernel, which is a core part of many computer systems. While the basic Android system is free for anyone to use and change, many apps and features that come with phones are made by companies like Google or the phone maker, and these are usually not open for everyone to see or change.
Android is used on more smartphones worldwide than any other operating system. It's also used on tablets and other devices. Many phone companies add their own special look and features to Android, creating unique versions.
Wear OS
Wear OS is Google's operating system made for smartwatches and other wearable devices. It connects with your Android phone or iPhone to bring notifications, Google Assistant, and other features right to your wrist. In 2021, Google and Samsung teamed up to make Wear OS even better, combining features from Samsung's Tizen smartwatch system.
ChromeOS
ChromeOS is an operating system from Google that uses the Google Chrome web browser as its main way to interact with you. It's mostly designed for web applications, meaning apps that run through the internet. Many newer Chromebooks have touchscreens and can even run Android apps from the Google Play Store, making them more like tablets.
Sailfish OS
Sailfish OS is an operating system from a company called Jolla. It's mostly open-source, meaning its core code can be seen and changed by anyone. Sailfish OS can run on different types of hardware and is known for its unique user interface. It's popular in some countries, and Jolla allows other companies to use its software.
SteamOS
SteamOS is a Linux distribution made by Valve for gaming. It's the main operating system for their Steam Deck handheld gaming computer. SteamOS helps you play video games, and Valve encourages game developers to make their games work well on Linux.
Tizen
Tizen is a mobile operating system supported by Intel and Samsung. It's an open-source system that aims to work on many different devices, including smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and smart TVs. While Tizen itself is open-source, many of the features and designs added by Samsung are not. Today, Tizen is mostly used on Samsung smartwatches and TVs.
KaiOS
KaiOS is an operating system designed mainly for "feature phones" – simpler phones that aren't full smartphones. It gives these phones more advanced features like app stores, Wi-Fi, and 4G internet, which are usually found on smartphones. KaiOS is a mix of open-source and closed-source parts.
Smart Feature OS
HMD Global uses a special version of KaiOS called Smart Feature OS for its Nokia feature phones. It has a custom look and sounds that are unique to Nokia.
Open-Source Operating Systems (Mixed Licenses)
These operating systems are mostly open-source, but they might use different types of licenses for their various parts.
Fedora Mobility
Fedora Mobility is a project that aims to bring the Fedora Linux system to mobile devices like phones and tablets.
LuneOS
LuneOS is a modern version of the old Palm/HP webOS interface.
Manjaro ARM
Manjaro ARM is a mobile operating system that uses the Plasma Mobile desktop. It's the default system on the PinePhone, an ARM-based smartphone.
Mobian
Mobian is a version of Debian Linux made for mobile devices, especially the PinePhone and Librem.
Plasma Mobile
Plasma Mobile is a version of the Plasma desktop environment made for smartphones. It can run apps from Ubuntu Touch and PureOS, and even some Android apps.
postmarketOS
postmarketOS is based on Alpine Linux and is designed to run on older phone hardware.
PureOS
PureOS is a version of Linux that only uses free and open-source software. It's supported by the Free Software Foundation because it respects user freedom. It's used on Purism's Librem 5 smartphone and aims to keep the phone's main processor separate from the cellular modem for better privacy.
Ubuntu Touch
Ubuntu Touch is an open-source mobile version of the Ubuntu operating system. It was first developed by Canonical Ltd. and is now continued by the UBports Foundation. Ubuntu Touch can run on phones like the Librem 5 and PinePhone. For phones originally made for Android, Ubuntu Touch uses parts of the Android system to make the hardware work, but it doesn't use Android's Java-like code.
Closed-Source Operating Systems
These operating systems are developed by companies, and their code is usually not available for everyone to see or change.
iOS
iOS is the operating system created by Apple Inc. for its iPhones, iPod Touches, and iPads. It's the second most popular smartphone operating system worldwide. iOS is known for its user-friendly design and strong security. Apple develops all iOS devices, which are then made by partners like Foxconn.
iPadOS
iPadOS is a special operating system developed by Apple specifically for its iPad tablets. It was released in 2019 and focuses on making multitasking and using the iPad for work easier, with features like improved split-screen and file management.
watchOS
watchOS is the operating system for the Apple Watch, also developed by Apple. It's based on iOS and has many similar features, focusing on convenience (like calls and texts) and health tracking (like fitness and heart rate). It's currently the most used operating system for wearable devices.
Kindle firmware
Kindle firmware is the operating system designed for Amazon Kindle e-readers. It's based on a version of Linux but is mostly closed-source.
HarmonyOS
HarmonyOS is a distributed operating system developed by Huawei for its smartphones, tablets, TVs, smartwatches, and other smart devices. It uses a special multi-kernel system. Huawei announced a new version, HarmonyOS NEXT, in 2023, which will only use native HarmonyOS apps and no longer include parts of the Android system.
Nintendo Switch system software
The Nintendo Switch system software is the operating system for the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite gaming consoles. It has a HOME screen where you can see your games, news, and settings. It's based on a special microkernel.
PlayStation Vita system software
The PlayStation Vita system software is the operating system for the PlayStation Vita and PlayStation TV gaming consoles. It uses a graphical interface called LiveArea.
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a well-known operating system for personal computers. While it was originally for desktops, Microsoft started focusing on tablets with Windows 8 in 2012. Windows 10 later combined the interface to work well with both mouse and touchscreen devices. It also introduced Universal Windows Platform apps, which can run on many different Microsoft devices, including PCs, tablets, and Xbox.
Other Proprietary Operating Systems
Some companies like Huami (Amazfit), Huawei, realme, TCL, and Xiaomi have created their own special operating systems for their smartbands and smartwatches. These systems are designed to use less power and make batteries last longer.
- Proprietary Amazfit OS: For Amazfit Bip series and other smartwatches.
- Huawei/Honor Band Operating System: For Huawei and Honor fitness trackers.
- Lenovo RTOS: For Lenovo fitness trackers and smartwatches.
- realme Wearable Operating System: For realme smartbands and smartwatches.
- TCL Wearable Real Time Operating System: For TCL and Alcatel smartbands and smartwatches.
- Xiaomi Mi Band Operating System: For the Xiaomi Mi Band series.
Discontinued Mobile Operating Systems
Many mobile operating systems have come and gone over the years as technology changed.
Open Source (Discontinued)
CyanogenMod
CyanogenMod was a popular custom mobile operating system based on Android. It allowed users to customize their phones and get updates even if their phone maker stopped providing them. Development for CyanogenMod ended in 2016, and it was replaced by LineageOS.
Cyanogen OS
Cyanogen OS was a commercial version of CyanogenMod that included some special apps and was only available on certain phones.
Firefox OS
Firefox OS was an open-source mobile operating system from Mozilla. It was built on the Android Linux kernel but focused on web technologies. Mozilla stopped working on Firefox OS in 2016.
MeeGo/Maemo/Moblin
MeeGo was an open-source mobile operating system created by Nokia and Intel. Nokia later decided to focus on Windows Phone, and MeeGo development slowed down. Maemo was Nokia's earlier platform for smartphones and internet tablets.
webOS
webOS was an open-source mobile operating system originally developed by Palm. It was known for its multitasking features. After being acquired by HP, webOS hardware was discontinued in 2011. HP later sold webOS to LG Electronics, which now uses it for smart TVs.
Closed Source (Discontinued)
Bada
Bada was a mobile operating system developed by Samsung Electronics. It was used on Samsung's Wave series of smartphones. Samsung stopped developing Bada in 2013 to focus on Tizen.
BlackBerry OS
BlackBerry OS was the operating system for early BlackBerry devices, known for secure email and messaging. It was very popular in the 2000s.
BlackBerry 10
BlackBerry 10 was a new operating system launched by BlackBerry in the 2010s to replace BlackBerry OS. It was based on the QNX system. BlackBerry later shifted its focus to Android devices.
Nintendo 3DS system software
The Nintendo 3DS system software was the operating system used by the Nintendo 3DS handheld gaming console.
Symbian
Symbian was a very popular mobile operating system, especially on Nokia smartphones, for many years. It was discontinued in 2012 as Android and iOS grew.
Palm OS
Palm OS was an early closed-source operating system for Palm handheld devices.
Microsoft (Discontinued)
Windows Mobile
Windows Mobile was a family of operating systems from Microsoft for business users, mainly on Pocket PCs. It was replaced by Windows Phone in 2010.
Windows Phone
Windows Phone was a mobile operating system developed by Microsoft to replace Windows Mobile. It had a new touchscreen interface. Microsoft later replaced it with Windows 10 Mobile.
Windows 10 Mobile
Windows 10 Mobile was Microsoft's final mobile operating system, aiming to connect with its Windows 10 PC version. Microsoft stopped supporting Windows 10 Mobile in December 2019 due to low market share.
The market share shows how many people use each operating system.
In 1994, the IBM Simon was the first smartphone sold. Between 1999 and 2002, Palm OS was the most popular. Symbian took over as the leader in 2003, reaching its highest point in 2006.
By 2018, Android and iOS dominated the market. In the first three months of 2018, Android had about 49% of sales, and iOS had about 19%. Very few other operating systems were sold.
Today, smartphones are used more than desktop computers for internet browsing globally. This is especially true in Asia and Africa. Even in some developed countries, smartphones are now more popular for internet use.
Smartphones alone (without tablets) first became the majority for web use in December 2016. This trend has continued, with smartphones now clearly outnumbering desktop/laptop computers.
Samsung released its last Tizen smartphone in 2017. Firefox OS and Tizen had small market shares, peaking around 1% in 2018.
From 2018 to 2021, iOS and Android were the two main mobile operating systems, with no other OS having more than 1% market share for the whole year.
Microsoft ended support for its last mobile OS, Windows 10 Mobile, in January 2020.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused smartphone sales to drop significantly in 2020.
In 2021, Android reached its highest market share ever, with 85% in the third quarter.
In February 2023, IIT Madras released BharOS, a new operating system for India.
Huawei announced Harmony OS Next in August 2023. This version of Harmony OS no longer included the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) core.
As of early 2025, Android is still the largest player, with about 76% of the market. iOS remains second with 19% of sales. Harmony OS has grown to 5% market share, being the first mobile OS besides Android and iOS to reach this milestone in 10 years.
| Year | Android | iOS | HarmonyOS | Symbian | Windows | BlackBerry | Linux | Palm OS | Other | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 76% | 19% | 5% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | |
| 2024 | 78% | 18% | 4% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | |
| 2023 | 78% | 19% | 3% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | |
| 2022 | 80% | 18% | 2% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | |
| 2021 | 81% | 18% | 1% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | |
| 2020 | 73% | 26% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 1% | |
| 2019 | 75% | 23% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 2% | |
| 2018 | 75% | 20% | 0% | 1% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 4% | |
| 2017 | 73% | 20% | 0% | 2% | 1% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 4% | |
| 2016 | 69% | 19% | 0% | 4% | 2% | 1% | 0% | 0% | 5% | |
| 2015 | 64% | 20% | 0% | 6% | 2% | 1% | 0% | 0% | 7% | |
| 2014 | 54% | 24% | 0% | 11% | 2% | 2% | 0% | 0% | 7% | |
| 2013 | 39% | 24% | 0% | 20% | 2% | 4% | 0% | 0% | 11% | |
| 2012 | 27% | 24% | 0% | 29% | 0% | 5% | 0% | 0% | 15% | |
| 2011 | 19% | 22% | 0% | 32% | 1% | 12% | 0% | 0% | 14% | |
| 2010 | 9% | 25% | 0% | 32% | 0% | 17% | 0% | 0% | 17% | |
| 2009 | 2% | 34% | 0% | 35% | 2% | 8% | 0% | 0% | 19% | |
| 2008 | 0% | 13% | 0% | 50% | 11% | 16% | 0% | 3% | 7% | |
| 2007 | 0% | 2% | 0% | 70% | 10% | 8% | 0% | 6% | 4% | |
| 2006 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 73% | 8% | 7% | 0% | 10% | 2% | |
| 2005 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 51% | 17% | 3% | 23% | 5% | 1% | |
| 2004 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 56% | 13% | 5% | 11% | 14% | 1% | |
| 2003 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 35% | 19% | 6% | 0% | 29% | 11% | |
| 2002 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 12% | 27% | 5% | 0% | 44% | 12% | |
| 2001 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 3% | 31% | 3% | 0% | 52% | 11% | |
| 2000 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 2% | 26% | 2% | 0% | 61% | 9% | |
| 1999 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 1% | 16% | 0% | 0% | 73% | 10% |
Worldwide Smartphone Sales (Thousands of Units)
| Year | Android | iOS | BharOS | Windows | BlackBerry | Symbian | Other | Total smartphones |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Year in progress | |||||||
| 2024 | 1,220,000 | |||||||
| 2023 (est.) | 1,125,000 | 280,000 | 55,000 | – | – | – | 11,000 | 1,163,000 |
| 2022 | 1,000,000 | 200,000 | 50,000 | – | – | – | 10,000 | 1,200,000 |
| 2021 | 1,250,000 | 250,000 | – | – | – | – | – | 1,500,000 |
| 2020 | 1,020,000 | 240,000 | – | – | – | – | – | 1,280,000 |
| 2019 | 1,100,000 | 220,000 | – | – | – | – | – | 1,370,000 |
| 2018 | 1,337,480 | 209,616 | 89,500 | – | – | – | 562 | 1,491,619 |
| 2017 | 1,329,206 | 224,720 | – | – | – | – | 2,875 | 1,557,282 |
Images for kids
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Android-apps.png
Android apps on a smartphone
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Wear OS.png
A smartwatch running Wear OS
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Chromebook.png
A Chromebook running ChromeOS
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Ubuntu Touch apps
See also
In Spanish: Sistema operativo móvil para niños
