Handheld OS Choice: How much is too much?

Bob Russell · 04-15-2006, 11:26 AM

When I bought my first handheld, there were only two models available to choose from, and the only difference was the amount of memory. If I had been more aware of the market, maybe I could have searched out other choices like Apple Newton or Psion handhelds, but I'm not sure of the timeline there. But the point is that we have come a long way in the world of mobile computing. There are now a multitude of cell phones, pdas, smartphones, wrist watch pdas, "communicator devices" and even tiny laptops or tablets running WinXP or Linux.

Even in the pda/smartphone market, we are on the verge of another revolution. The mass consumer market and business market is gravitating toward smartphones, and that's being driven primarily by simple things like PIM integration, mobile email and messaging. As they get easier to use, the sky is the limit for functionality. Don't ever forget that -- adoption and acceptance is driven by usability and functionality together. Sure, the average consumer will become more skilled and able to handle the technology better over the years as it become more familiar, but nothing takes the place of usability.

So with that in mind, let's take a look at the landscape for mobile devices in the near future. Specifically, let's look at the upcoming directions for operating systems for handheld devices.

But, you say, the OS doesn't matter. In fact Michael Mace, one of the heroes in the handheld industry and brilliant strategist, has repeatedly emphasized that the OS doesn't matter. Consumers are just as happy using older versions of a handheld OS, as evidenced by purchases. Consumers do not shy away from older versions of an OS on Symbian, for example.

In its proper perspective, Mr. Mace's statement is not only correct, but important. In fact, I think he makes a very essential point that we "tech heads" need to remember. What he is trying to emphasize is that first and foremost, the consumer wants usability and functionality. The consumer doesn't care what lies underneath to make it work. In fact, the consumer is probably only going to be using the simplest of functions on the device anyway. We are fast coming to the point where the core functionality for all devices will be supported by almost any handheld OS.

But that is not the whole story. There's another side of things. When the average knowledge worker runs a program on his computer at work, does he care if he is using DOS5 or BeOS or Windows 3.0 or WindowsXP or Linux? Of course he does!

If you give him Windows 3.0, for example, he will have a problem just getting around on the computer and making things work. He will notice a million different features for ease of use that are missing from the last WindowsXP computer he used. He will lose functionality like USB support, so he won't be able to use jump drives or hook up his iPod or Treo. He may not even know how to shut down the PC. And even more importantly, he won't be able to use his favorite software because it's no longer supported. He'll be forced to find a (painful) way to get his data onto the PC, and he will be using software like some of the early versions of MS Word and Excel, or maybe even have to switch to 123 and WordPerfect.

On handhelds, think about the OS on early Palm devices and compare it to the most recent versions of Garnet. I'd argue that the newer OS is far more easy to use. Consider PalmOS versus Pocket PC. Different people have different favorites, but one thing you cannot argue is that it is a hard step for most people when they decide to switch from one to the other. Switching from Palm to Pocket PC (or vice-versa) can be a traumatic and difficult trip. Replacement programs need to be found, data has to be transferred, and even the most basic activities on the handheld have to be relearned under a new paradigm determined by the OS. People have strong feelings about one OS being better than the other, and consumers and businesses both certainly make purchase decisions on

Okay, so the OS does matter to the consumer. Then what about the new landscape for handheld OS choices that we will be seeing soon?

Garnet seems to have some life left in it, both in functionality and in terms of legal contracts. What was previously being developed by PalmSource as PalmOS for Linux has been re-worked and is now called ALP (Access Linux Platform) until it gets its "real" name as we get closer to its release date.

Symbian is still around, and I've learned to not count out any popular technology no matter my opinions about being ancient or limited. If enough effort is put into it, an old technology can grow legs and compete effectively for a long time.

Windows Mobile is still going strong, and we can't rule out the likelihood of many more devices running Windows XP/Vista/... and other future versions of Microsoft's primary desktop OS. Certainly they must have plans to make their future OS platforms much more flexible to support all kinds of mobile and consumer device applications (such as media centers or appliance and automotive control).

On top of all that, we have Linux devices already arriving like the Nokia 770. The ALP is built on Linux. And Linux itself has many varieties. Don't even rule out other operating systems making the jump to handheld devices, or in the future seeing something new altogether that hasn't yet been announced. Don't forget the new kind of computing promised by the AI technologies being developed by Jeff Hawkins at Numenta, or the famous "third" Palm product line that has yet to be revealed.

We could literally have a legitimate choice between half a dozen operating systems for handheld devices in the next decade or so!

What is this going to do to us in terms of usability, applications, and the effort to move from one platform to another? Are we doomed to either stay on a single OS, or suffer a horribly painful switch across product lines to another OS?

Fortunately, there is good news. Just as it is much easier to move across platforms now, it will even get better. PalmOS and Win Mobile both can sync basic PIM info with Outlook, so it's not too hard to move data from one to another. Sure, there are some idiosyncrasies, but it's not too bad.

There are a lot of programs that exist on both platforms. MS Office documents, eReader files, .pdf, multimedia files, etc are all usable in native form on both platforms, and compatibility will get better and better over the years. I use programs like HandyShopper, eWallet, and so forth that use the same data files, so I can switch without any hassle from PalmOS to PPC or back.

We are also likely to see better software development tools for creating products or multiple platforms without rewriting the program multiple times. That means that you are more likely to be able to find your favorite program on multiple platforms.

And we might even find that single pieces of hardware can run multiple operating systems, just like how you can now put Linux on a desktop computer designed for Windows.

Usability gets better and better for all of the OS varieties also. There will be a learning curve, but you will be much less likely to just say "this is an OS I can't use because it won't do this basic thing." Will the jump always take an effort? Probably yes. Consider Windows to Linux. It's not a trivial switch, which is the reason I haven't made the jump despite having some familiarity with Unix.

Now, coming back to the original question, "How many OS choices are too many?" I'd have to say that the market will take care of this.

On the one hand, we want lots of choice. It helps us find the perfect OS for our own tastes, and it drives innovation so that all of the OS versions get better and better.

On the other hand, we don't want the customer base too widely divided because there is great benefit in having two or three most popular platforms. It means you are forced to switch less often to get your favorite devices or features or programs. But the market forces will usually cause product development money and application developers and third party support to focus on the most popular platforms.

Personally, I'd prefer to see only about three really strong and popular OS choices. It's enough for good choice and competition, but not so many that all the industry resources and product offerings become too deeply split up. Unfortunately, while things are shaking out in the industry we may see more than that for a while. But that's okay, because it's going to be one heck of a lot of fun to watch this all evolve and play out!

Related information... (Some really great blogs by Michael Mace)
Mobile Opportunity
Stop Flying Blind

Brad · 04-15-2006, 05:38 PM

The problem for me is not really choosing an OS to run my PDA as a stand alone unit, I suppose just about any of them would do. My problem is what will sync with Mac OS X and iCal and Address Book etc. I know I can get PalmOS working with all these via Mark Space Missing Link but I have never been clear how well any other OS's would work with a Mac. Therefore my choice is already made for me.

Zire · 04-15-2006, 11:55 PM

Well Brad...with mac now you have a choice using the newly released Boot Camp.

jah · 04-16-2006, 04:18 PM

The real issue is OS quality. M$ have had our money for years and years and have failed to produce a quality OS. Others should be given a fair chance.

By the way Symbian only hit the streets around 2000, so I'm not sure why it is 'ancient'.

rmeister0 · 04-16-2006, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Well Brad...with mac now you have a choice using the newly released Boot Camp.

Red Herring. Having Boot Camp is absolutely no good if what you want to do is sync iCal and Address Book, NOT Outlook. BootCamp is no help whatsoever. If he wanted to run Windows, he'd be running Windows.

I am, btw, typing this on my iMac. I have installed BootCamp and Windows XP, and I use it for some applications. But for my PIM functions, I use OS X, and for that I have a Palm Z22 and The Missing Sync.

I don't think most people care about choice of an OS. Most people just buy what they're told to, buy what they use at work, or go with what everyone else they know uses. What people want are applications that will do what they want. It's the apps that sell the OS, not the other way around.

04-15-2006, 11:26 AM	#1
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	Handheld OS Choice: How much is too much? When I bought my first handheld, there were only two models available to choose from, and the only difference was the amount of memory. If I had been more aware of the market, maybe I could have searched out other choices like Apple Newton or Psion handhelds, but I'm not sure of the timeline there. But the point is that we have come a long way in the world of mobile computing. There are now a multitude of cell phones, pdas, smartphones, wrist watch pdas, "communicator devices" and even tiny laptops or tablets running WinXP or Linux. Even in the pda/smartphone market, we are on the verge of another revolution. The mass consumer market and business market is gravitating toward smartphones, and that's being driven primarily by simple things like PIM integration, mobile email and messaging. As they get easier to use, the sky is the limit for functionality. Don't ever forget that -- adoption and acceptance is driven by usability and functionality together. Sure, the average consumer will become more skilled and able to handle the technology better over the years as it become more familiar, but nothing takes the place of usability. So with that in mind, let's take a look at the landscape for mobile devices in the near future. Specifically, let's look at the upcoming directions for operating systems for handheld devices. But, you say, the OS doesn't matter. In fact Michael Mace, one of the heroes in the handheld industry and brilliant strategist, has repeatedly emphasized that the OS doesn't matter. Consumers are just as happy using older versions of a handheld OS, as evidenced by purchases. Consumers do not shy away from older versions of an OS on Symbian, for example. In its proper perspective, Mr. Mace's statement is not only correct, but important. In fact, I think he makes a very essential point that we "tech heads" need to remember. What he is trying to emphasize is that first and foremost, the consumer wants usability and functionality. The consumer doesn't care what lies underneath to make it work. In fact, the consumer is probably only going to be using the simplest of functions on the device anyway. We are fast coming to the point where the core functionality for all devices will be supported by almost any handheld OS. But that is not the whole story. There's another side of things. When the average knowledge worker runs a program on his computer at work, does he care if he is using DOS5 or BeOS or Windows 3.0 or WindowsXP or Linux? Of course he does! If you give him Windows 3.0, for example, he will have a problem just getting around on the computer and making things work. He will notice a million different features for ease of use that are missing from the last WindowsXP computer he used. He will lose functionality like USB support, so he won't be able to use jump drives or hook up his iPod or Treo. He may not even know how to shut down the PC. And even more importantly, he won't be able to use his favorite software because it's no longer supported. He'll be forced to find a (painful) way to get his data onto the PC, and he will be using software like some of the early versions of MS Word and Excel, or maybe even have to switch to 123 and WordPerfect. On handhelds, think about the OS on early Palm devices and compare it to the most recent versions of Garnet. I'd argue that the newer OS is far more easy to use. Consider PalmOS versus Pocket PC. Different people have different favorites, but one thing you cannot argue is that it is a hard step for most people when they decide to switch from one to the other. Switching from Palm to Pocket PC (or vice-versa) can be a traumatic and difficult trip. Replacement programs need to be found, data has to be transferred, and even the most basic activities on the handheld have to be relearned under a new paradigm determined by the OS. People have strong feelings about one OS being better than the other, and consumers and businesses both certainly make purchase decisions on Okay, so the OS does matter to the consumer. Then what about the new landscape for handheld OS choices that we will be seeing soon? Garnet seems to have some life left in it, both in functionality and in terms of legal contracts. What was previously being developed by PalmSource as PalmOS for Linux has been re-worked and is now called ALP (Access Linux Platform) until it gets its "real" name as we get closer to its release date. Symbian is still around, and I've learned to not count out any popular technology no matter my opinions about being ancient or limited. If enough effort is put into it, an old technology can grow legs and compete effectively for a long time. Windows Mobile is still going strong, and we can't rule out the likelihood of many more devices running Windows XP/Vista/... and other future versions of Microsoft's primary desktop OS. Certainly they must have plans to make their future OS platforms much more flexible to support all kinds of mobile and consumer device applications (such as media centers or appliance and automotive control). On top of all that, we have Linux devices already arriving like the Nokia 770. The ALP is built on Linux. And Linux itself has many varieties. Don't even rule out other operating systems making the jump to handheld devices, or in the future seeing something new altogether that hasn't yet been announced. Don't forget the new kind of computing promised by the AI technologies being developed by Jeff Hawkins at Numenta, or the famous "third" Palm product line that has yet to be revealed. We could literally have a legitimate choice between half a dozen operating systems for handheld devices in the next decade or so! What is this going to do to us in terms of usability, applications, and the effort to move from one platform to another? Are we doomed to either stay on a single OS, or suffer a horribly painful switch across product lines to another OS? Fortunately, there is good news. Just as it is much easier to move across platforms now, it will even get better. PalmOS and Win Mobile both can sync basic PIM info with Outlook, so it's not too hard to move data from one to another. Sure, there are some idiosyncrasies, but it's not too bad. There are a lot of programs that exist on both platforms. MS Office documents, eReader files, .pdf, multimedia files, etc are all usable in native form on both platforms, and compatibility will get better and better over the years. I use programs like HandyShopper, eWallet, and so forth that use the same data files, so I can switch without any hassle from PalmOS to PPC or back. We are also likely to see better software development tools for creating products or multiple platforms without rewriting the program multiple times. That means that you are more likely to be able to find your favorite program on multiple platforms. And we might even find that single pieces of hardware can run multiple operating systems, just like how you can now put Linux on a desktop computer designed for Windows. Usability gets better and better for all of the OS varieties also. There will be a learning curve, but you will be much less likely to just say "this is an OS I can't use because it won't do this basic thing." Will the jump always take an effort? Probably yes. Consider Windows to Linux. It's not a trivial switch, which is the reason I haven't made the jump despite having some familiarity with Unix. Now, coming back to the original question, "How many OS choices are too many?" I'd have to say that the market will take care of this. On the one hand, we want lots of choice. It helps us find the perfect OS for our own tastes, and it drives innovation so that all of the OS versions get better and better. On the other hand, we don't want the customer base too widely divided because there is great benefit in having two or three most popular platforms. It means you are forced to switch less often to get your favorite devices or features or programs. But the market forces will usually cause product development money and application developers and third party support to focus on the most popular platforms. Personally, I'd prefer to see only about three really strong and popular OS choices. It's enough for good choice and competition, but not so many that all the industry resources and product offerings become too deeply split up. Unfortunately, while things are shaking out in the industry we may see more than that for a while. But that's okay, because it's going to be one heck of a lot of fun to watch this all evolve and play out! Related information... (Some really great blogs by Michael Mace) Mobile Opportunity Stop Flying Blind

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04-15-2006, 05:38 PM	#2
Brad Zealot Posts: 107 Karma: 201 Join Date: Sep 2004 Device: Cybook Gen3 / EB1150 /iPhone	The problem for me is not really choosing an OS to run my PDA as a stand alone unit, I suppose just about any of them would do. My problem is what will sync with Mac OS X and iCal and Address Book etc. I know I can get PalmOS working with all these via Mark Space Missing Link but I have never been clear how well any other OS's would work with a Mac. Therefore my choice is already made for me.

04-15-2006, 11:55 PM	#3
Zire Fanatic Posts: 522 Karma: 14050 Join Date: May 2003 Location: Astoria, NY Device: Zire 71	Well Brad...with mac now you have a choice using the newly released Boot Camp.

04-16-2006, 04:18 PM	#4
jah Member Posts: 10 Karma: 30 Join Date: Dec 2005 Device: SE P990 SE M600 Nokia 9500 XDA Exec	The real issue is OS quality. M$ have had our money for years and years and have failed to produce a quality OS. Others should be given a fair chance. By the way Symbian only hit the streets around 2000, so I'm not sure why it is 'ancient'.

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