Last updated on 2012-07-04, by video

Windows Phone 8 VS iOS 6 VS Android 4.1

Recently, all smartphone platforms make great updates: Apple iOS 6, WP 8, Android Jelly Bean 4.1. Let’s take a look at the comparisons now:

1. Apps
iOS: it has the most apps among mobile phone platform. It covers 650 thousand apps, and 225 thousand are iPad apps.
Android: 600 thousand apps and most are put to tablet.
Win Phone: 100 thousand apps. It is much smaller than iOS and Android.

2. Map
iOS: 3D map which is integrated with iOS supports traffic status real-time update, section navigation, cool interface, but the transport direction guidance is unavailable.
Android: 3D map that is integrated with Jelly Bean will make improvements as below: in addition to search, stage navigation, streetscape, 3 D building offline cache will be added, in addition, famous region will support 360 degrees spying.
Win Phone: WP8 adopts Nokia map, including NAVTEQ maps, subsection navigation, 3 D architecture, offline cache, dynamic route navigation.

3. Browser Sync Function
iOS: iCloud label is added to iOS 6 which unifies device browsing between iOS and OS X. You must pay attention to that it is not a unified cloud browser that supports all your devices, but as a hidden ICON or sub menu.
Android: Android Chrome Beta is also equipped with synchronous label that can sync to desktops. And at present, it is considering whether to adopt the bookmark form or the search synchronization function.
Win Phone: Browser sync function is not supported by Win 8. It is likely to employ IE browser to fit for the whole WinRT.

4. Facebook Integration
iOS: Facebook status and pics can be shared within iOS main interface, and Facebook status can be integrated with iOS calendar. The third-party API is under development, so sooner all iOS applications can integrate with FB functions.
Android: both Jelly Bean main interface and all Android apps will cover FB sharing, you can even drag FB friends to the Contact.
Win Phone: FB dynamic, pictures, contacts, voice chat are always similar to Microsoft People, Message, and Calendar.

5. Voice Commander
iOS: Besides the existing functions in iOS 6 Siri including speech dictation, mail dictation, schedule arrangement, other functions such as game scoring feedback support, movie times introduction, dinner reservation will also be added. And it is expected that Siri will be merged to car audio and navigation system this fall.
Android: Jelly Bean improves Google speech recognition function to a new level. Google OS has been supporting voice search and voice dictation, and now it is going to learn the auto respond from Siri.
Win Phone: Win 8 voice commander supports phone dialing, message sending, web searching, application activating, although it is not as powerful as Apple, but it has been trying to make further progress.

6. Mobile Payment
iOS: The nonsupport for NFC function is one of the shortcomings of iPhone, and the Passbook is more like an electronic ticket management tool.
Android: Google Wallet supports mobile payment, real-time transaction, NFC function, but at present Sprint is the only official partner, if it wants to enlarge the market it still need to cope with more credit card business cooperation.
Win Phone: Win 8 has announced that digital wallet function will be added, providing the management of voucher function but not mentioning specific mobile payment details, but Microsoft said the NFC characteristic will be put to the built-in SIM card, which is much better than Apple and Google.

7．Video Chatting
iOS: with built-in FaceTime, it performs quite well under 3G and WiFi.
Android: Gmail/Google Talk is more popular. You can realize video chat among different platforms (Mac, PC or Android), video chat under 3G or WiFi is available as well. And it is expected that video chatting between Android and iPad can be achieved with the upgraded Google+.
Win Phone: the secret weapon of Microsoft is Skype that supports Macs, PCs, iOS and Android, the competitiveness of it should not be underestimated.

8. Informative Function
iOS: iMessage is still at test phase now, but it is claimed to make quick information delivery among mobile phone, tablet and desktop. There is no direct connection to cell phone number and Cloud account. And 100% delivery to all related devices is not guaranteed.
Android: there are numerous reliable real-time voice delivery applications in Android platform, for example, Gchat, you can accurately and timely deliver information to every device as long as you login. Besides, Google Voice is also a choice.
Win Phone: Win 8 is considered delivering text, Facebook information, Skype information within the same window.

9. Streaming Media
iOS: iOS with built-in AirPlay is one of the simplest and the most intuitive Streaming Media applications. For example, you can stream music on PC or iOS device to AirPlay-approved speakers, AirPort Express routers and Apple TV.
Android: the newly released Nexus Q supports to stream audios and videos to TV and loudspeaker. In addition, you can stream audios and videos to more devices via Hub, and this is much better than Apple.
Win Phone: by using Smartglass Win Phone stream media to Xbox and Win 8 devices. Because it adopts the top-notch DLNA standard, so comparing to iOS and Android it simplify and visualize the process of media streaming.