Android is arguably the most dominant operating system around the world. It dominates about 85% of the smartphone market and still going strong. There is nothing wrong with Android, but giving too much authority to only a single company is not a good idea. Recently Huawei controversy that shook the world made it more clear.
Now its time for significant phone manufacturer companies to develop Android alternative operating systems. Below, we will talk about why we need Android alternatives and introduce a list of best Android operating systems. So, let’s begin!
Why Should we use Android Alternatives?
As we can see the dominance of the Android market share that people love the Android operating system and Google work really hard to keep the Android dominance over other operating systems. But similar to other things in our lives, we really need options, and there are numerous reasons why we should look for Android alternatives.
Google has been criticized by users around the world about Android privacy, and some reports suggest that it can easily be affected by spyware and viruses. Another reason is its fragmentation, and for users who are unaware, devices running various Android versions can cause low app performance, security issues, and development issues. As there is no other operating system that can beat Android, Google has gained full control over the smartphone market. Keeping all these points in mind, it would be great to see good competition in the market, and currently, only below-stated Android alternative operating systems can give us a chance.
Best Android Alternatives
iOS Operating System
Android and iOS are in a competition for so long, and both of these operating systems has a massive user-base. Apple iOS operating system is currently the toughest competitor to Android in the market. Both of these operating systems borrow each other features, and that is the main reason why both of them are so feature-rich. Though both of them are much similar to each other but iOS presents its own interface and features to its users.
iOS offers a much better quality of third-party apps, as well as a unified interface across all apps. Using the iOS operating system, you can find the full suite of Google apps while you will be unable to get the majority of the iOS apps on Android. If you are looking for the best Android alternatives, iOS should be your go-to choice.
iOS Key Functionalities
- Attractive user interface.
- Regular updates.
- Enhanced security.
- Much enhanced quality of third-party apps.
- Smooth user experience.
Tizen Operating System
Tizen is another best Android alternative. It is an open-source Linux based operating system and often dubbed as an official Linux mobile operating system. Linux aside, the operating system is supported by other tech giants, such as Intel and Samsung. The operating system released its very first smartphone in 2015 in the South Asian market though it was a flop show in a competitive Indian market. Tizen operating system is much similar to Android but entirely different under the hood because of its gestures for intuitive interaction.
The operating system is based on HTML operating system, which means it makes a whole lot easier for developers to develop apps. Though the operating system failed to attract people towards it, Samsung’s involvement kept people interested, as Samsung already launched a few devices running the Tizen operating system, including wearables and smartphones.
After the Huawei incident, we think Samsung will become more serious about Tizen operating system, and we hope that we will see something really pleasing in the near future. Tizen is another very promising Android alternative currently available in the market.
Tizen Key Functionalities
- HTML5 support to encourage developers to develop apps.
- Unique intuitive gestures.
Ubuntu Touch Operating System
The conqueror or Linux desktop world, Ubuntu operating system, decided to expand its area with the help of its open-source mobile operating system, Ubuntu Touch. The parent company of Ubuntu Canonical launched a crowdfunding campaign, spending about $33 million to design the first Ubuntu smartphone, Edge. Although the campaign gets failed but set a new record with about $12 million pledged to the crowdfunding campaign.
After this attempt, Canonical partnered with some other device manufacturers to introduce a Ubuntu smartphone. A Spanish smartphone manufacturing company BQ designed the first Ubuntu operating system running the phone in 2015 and then followed by a Chinese company Meizu. Those two Ubuntu operating system running devices was mainly aimed at developers to encourage them to build apps.
After some time, Canonical decided to quit on their mobile operating system, but UBports is still in the field to keep Ubuntu Touch alive.
Ubuntu Touch Key Functionalities
- A secure and stable base system built on Ubuntu.
- UBports Installer for easy Ubuntu Touch set up.
- Improved privacy and blocks unsafe parts by default.
Conclusion
Android is one of the most reliable and most used operating systems in the world. People love it for so many reasons. It offers low-cost smartphones and other Android running devices that everyone can afford. The operating system dominates the smartphone market, and the only competitor of it is Apple’s iOS operating system. Apple and Android both borrow apps from each other, and that is why both of them have a massive user-base.
While Android offers low-cost devices and smartphones, iOS devices are quite costly, and not everyone can afford, and this is the key reason why it is still behind Android. There are also some other operating systems in the market but not as popular as Android and iOS. We should give a chance to other operating systems to reduce Android control over the smartphone market. If you have any suggestions regarding Android alternatives, write us a comment.
FAQs
Q: Which is the best Android alternative currently available?
Ans: Though it is pricy, iOS is among the best Android alternatives that are currently available in the market.