Ever since the incarnation of smartphone, we’ve seen BlackBerry, Symbian, Windows Mobile, Palm WebOS, iOS, and Android compete, prosper and die. It has been over crowed in the field of mobile OS, despite the facts that BlackBerry OS 10 is trying to reborn itself with a recent attempt, Symbian has been announced dead, and Palm WebOS has been dropped completely, leaving the Major three contestants iOS, Android and Windows Phone 8 continuing the fierce warring for better market share. Still, there are new comers pushing through with efforts. Reports say that at least three new mobile operating systems are trying to join the conversations to compete for our attentions. They are Ubuntu, Tizen, and Firefox OS.
But the doubt is: does the world really need another new mobile OS running on phones, tablets and phablets? With Apple’s iOS, Google’s Android and Microsoft’s Windows Phone already splitting the markets, seriously, why would one give second thought on Firefox OS, a platform brainstormed by a group of restless browser makers, Tizen, an OS from a well-known hardware power center named Samsung who absolutely has no record of writing software, and Ubuntu, a forked version of Linux that still hasn’t gone mainstream on desktops despite years of efforts? Keep in mind that we still not include various customized Android editions yet.
Maybe you would say that the new comers will bring fresh blood into the whole mobile ecosystem and at the same time, import momentum of innovation, as people are hearing increasing complaining voices about the stagnated innovations not only from Apple, but also from Android and Windows Phone 8, and furthermore, people love choices, don’t they? To some extent, this might be true. It is reasonable that more predators will make the hunting game full of fun. But, think from the reverse direction, how many new features are Ubuntu, Tizen and FireFox OS able to present us that iOS, Android and Windows Phone do not have yet? How big the differences can they make?
Anyway, be it a doom or fortune, it seems that Firefox OS will be the first one to debut in Brazil and other South American countries in 2013. Let’s hope the explorer will find its niche popularity there and then bring beacon light to the followers!
Dear readers, how do you see the trend of this seemingly over saturated mobile OS market? Feel free to leave your insight below.