2007 Review: The Year of Mobile Operating Systems - iPhone and Android Make Their Move

2007 could be called the year of mobile phone operating systems. Since Microsoft entered this field 5 years ago, the smart phone operating system industry has been quite stable. Symbian, Linux, Research in Motion, and Windows Mobile have occupied a large share of the smartphone software market, with each operating system achieving varying degrees of success in different regions.

However, in 2007, Apple launched the iPhone running its own software; Google announced that it will launch the Android mobile operating system platform next year. The entry of these two new operating systems has altered some mobile operators' plans, caused some inconvenience for end users, presented greater challenges for application software developers, and indicated some fundamental changes in the mobile phone industry.