But despite its many problems, the operating system can be summed up as the birth of something greater. It had up to 5 stable versions, reaching Palm OS 5.5 offering solutions that to date no one will allow, such as the calendar, phone book, calculator or notes. Developers also have their niche and could offer applications to the system and there were more than 50,000 before the closure of the system.

Windows Mobile or Windows Phone, a revolution

Microsoft's history with mobile operating systems has not been short at all, back in 2000 we met the first version of Windows Mobile for Pocket PCs that behaved like a small pocket computer, since the smartphone concept still something was far away. This was originally an alternative to what Palm OS was, but with the decline of its possibilities, it was reinvented to give life to Windows Phone, which some of you surely remember.

From the hand of Windows Phone we could see phones from the prestigious HTC brand that were already more like the ones we see today. Windows Phone 7 was its beginning considering where it came from and it reached Windows 10 for mobile, where it came full circle after several attempts to compete against the increasingly large Android systems and also iOS. Windows Phone 8 with its aesthetic called Modern UI was the most popular, although its block-based system was criticized as much as Windows 8 for computers. An operating system that had everything we wanted at the time; keyboard, app store and even virtual assistant and yet it was not feasible.

Symbian, what could have been and was not

Among the most mythical systems for mobile phones, Symbian cannot be left out, which is an essential part of the software in brands as popular as Nokia, its owner, and also present in Samsung, Siemens, Lenovo or Motorola. It was born in 1997 but it was not until 2008 when it gained the touch functions that reconverted mobile phones, specifically in the Symbian OS 9.2 version.

A system that was the driving force behind widgets, but despite the innovations it introduced, its many errors and failures ended up being forgotten and little by little being forgotten. However, other things were done well, giving great relevance to multimedia content and putting the camera above other aspects, as in the emblematic Nokia N95. In 2012 the system was closed, leaving behind a long journey full of changes and attempts that would leave Nokia in a difficult position in the world of mobile telephony.

Ubuntu Touch, the promised revolution

This system that was born with the idea of ​​really bringing Linux to mobiles inflated and deflated at great speed, its booming birth of Android and iOS played tricks on it. Although the idea was not bad, the difficulties to take off without applications cost it to be forgotten and although BQ, the Spanish brand gave it a chance, this was not enough and in 2017 the development was left in the hands of the users so that they would continue to your luck.

WebOS, from mobile to TV

Although WebOS is currently the optional system used by LG televisions, there was a day when it was present in the brand's mobiles. A system that was born from the hand of Palm that with their second attempt had a little more success and after presenting several models of their own mobiles with this system, in 2010 the promising software was acquired by HP, something that lasted just 1 year and left users to their fate.

Later, the year 2013 would come, when LG saw possibilities in the system and took it to its televisions, although many still dreamed of returning it to mobile phones. The last part of the story would come in 2021 when LG leaves the world of mobile OS aside and opens the doors of WebOS to other TV manufacturers to gain relevance.

BlackBerry OS left its legacy

The closed code system of the BlackBerry company had its heyday in certain countries, among which Spain was present. A system that was perfectly adapted to the use of the classic BlackBerry keyboard, but when it came to making the leap to touch screens with BlackBerry OS 10, it couldn't keep up with Android and iOS. In January 2013 this system was discontinued and with it it left a legacy that caused the firm to be sold to TCL to adapt to the Android world.

Firefox OS, an unsuccessful idea

Through the popular browser, this web-based operating system was developed with the support of large companies such as Telefónica or Alcatel. An idea born together with the Linux kernel that allowed us to use apps without having to download them, something that currently makes more sense given the speeds we have. It began its journey in 2015 and just two years later it was closing its doors without leaving pain or glory. A system very focused on lower-power terminals and that emerged as an alternative to what iOS and Android were achieving at the time, but in this case with the advantage of showing off performance with purely online apps.

iOS, the system that would change everything

Apple's closed operating system needs no introduction, being the system that managed to give value not only to performance but also to the visual and graphic aspect. Its birth occurred in 2007 at the hands of Steve Jobs along with the first iPhone that amazed the world with a touch screen with possibilities never seen before. Little by little in its different versions we saw important evolutions such as the integration of the app store, the arrival of Siri as a great revolution and allowing more and more things in the most recognized closed source system in the world, which still has a long way to go. journey ahead after learning about iOS 15 with more and more of its own services and integration of its own ecosystem.

Little by little it became the system par excellence, being imitated little by little by Android's customization layers with the desire to achieve something similar. Its animations and different touches have never gone unnoticed, showing that iOS takes care of all the details. On the path that has led it to become so relevant, privacy and security have played an important role, as it is a closed system, the possibility of encountering security breaches is reduced, which made Apple focus a lot of its attention and marketing on this appearance.

Android, the most popular

Back in 2013, hitherto unknown Andy Rubin, Rich Miner, Nick Sears and Chris White began creating Android, a system that was originally designed for digital cameras but ended up being adapted to mobile phones to gain prominence. It was not until 2007 when the first version 1.0 with the dessert name Apple Pie was released, giving way to what has become the most widespread operating system in the world. In 2011 it managed to surpass the already outstanding iOS in market share and its growth continues to increase with more and more applications in its store and a promising future that places us in Android 12 and that has become present in cars and televisions.

Although Android is the operating system par excellence, a large part of this is thanks to Forks or better known as customization layers, which manufacturers integrate into Android mobiles. A very useful tool that gives developers more possibilities, allowing them to integrate differentiating functions between brands with totally different aesthetics. There are many customization layers that have also existed, although most have passed without glory before us, we show you which are the most important:

Samsung / One UI

Samsung's user interface under the name of One UI was released in 2019 along with the Galaxy 10, making a big change in the system after having been known as TouchWiz until then. It is currently immersed in the One UI 3 version, but on the horizon they are beginning to talk about One UI 4. It is a customization layer that focuses largely on the graphic and visual aspect, bringing the best performance to the mobiles of the Mark.

Huawei / EMUI

The manufacturer Huawei joined the fashion of layers with Emotion UI, which became known as EMUI that same year 2012, until reaching the version of EMUI 11 in which we are currently and which will possibly be the last with the arrival of its new operating system, which we will know later. A layer deeply rooted in Asian aesthetics that managed to gain a foothold in Spain by adapting more and more similarities with iOS. It stands out for having many of its own tools and being very different from Android Stock.

Xiaomi / MIUI

This is another of the customization layers that come directly from China and that have been best adapted to the whole world, making Xiaomi a benchmark. MIUI was born in 2010 without leaving anything relevant, but little by little it has become practically an operating system due to all the options it integrates. There is no doubt when we are faced with MIUI that we have a Xiaomi mobile in our hands and that has worked out very well for them in recent years, although without also missing the appointment with criticism for copying iOS repeatedly. The great barrage of devices has ended up causing MIUI to also be synonymous with bugs in some versions, so in the latest version MIUI 12.5 the firm is trying to change that.

OPPO / ColorOS

Another layer of customization that until now had gone unnoticed by many is ColorOS, developed by OPPO for more than 10 years, has come along with the company's mobile phones to give the entire system a twist. It has an aesthetic more similar to Android, boasting speed and lightness, but without forgetting the customization options and being influential in many other layers that we will see.

LG UX / LG

After the lack of success of the WebOS operating system itself, in 2013 LG embraced Android with all its might along with its own customization layer. A modification of the appearance that little by little went further, gaining possibilities and prominence, although it has never been its strong point. With the customization and good know-how of LG, it demonstrated on Android that the customization layers had a lot to offer, but the machinery gradually deflated until in 2021 the LG mobile division closed and with it we also we say goodbye to an innovative layer.

Redesigned customization layers

Since some brands have a direct relationship with others, there are many layers of customization that only change the name and the appearance slightly. The same happens with the BBK Electronics Corporation group to which OPPO, OnePlus, Realme and Vivo belong, manufacturers that have different customization layers and respectively called ColorOS, OxygenOS, Realme UI and Funtouch OS.

On the other hand, there are those who use stock Android as a base, for example Motorola or Nokia, which have chosen to keep Android practically without layers, but with small modifications that improve the system for their needs.

HarmonyOS, the last in discord

To close the history of mobile operating systems, we cannot forget about HarmonyOS, the new system created by Huawei after the veto imposed by the United States that prevents it from maintaining relations with companies in the country and for which it had to stop using the services of Google. The arrival of this system perfectly sums up the history of Android given that from what is known to date, it is a new system developed from EMUI and Android that is gradually becoming independent. For now, its base is still Android, but we will see how it evolves and what it ends up becoming.