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Introduction
You must have wondered about how a user interacts with a computer system. How does the computer's hardware obey the instructions given by the users? The answer to this is the Operating System. Operating systems are critical components of computer interaction in today's digital world. The operating system converts high-level user commands into machine language that the computer can understand.
This blog will compare and contrast mobile and desktop operating systems. We shall talk briefly about operating systems and their roles in general. We will also look at some key differences between mobile and desktop opearting system. But first let us learn a bit more about operating system in in the next sections.
What is an Operating System?
An operating system is software that handles a computer's resources (hardware and software) and bridges the user and the machine. Operating systems create an environment for users to quickly run programs by masking the underlying complexity of the hardware. Operating systems conduct several critical services. Some examples are shown below.
Process Management
The OS is responsible for scheduling processes on the CPU (Central Processing Unit). It also provides the functionality for creating, deleting, and synchronizing the processes.
Memory Management
When a process is terminated, the operating system is also in charge of allocating and releasing memory from the process. Additionally, it maintains track of the many memory regions that each method uses.
File and System Management
Additionally, the operating system adds and removes folders and files from the system. In case of an error, it also offers backup support.
Device Management
The operating system also manages and controls the Input/Output devices attached to the computer.
User Interface
The operating system also serves as an interface between the user and the hardware, giving the user a platform to interact with the computer simply and without being aware of any hidden intricacies.
What is a Mobile Operating System?
A family of operating systems known as mobileoperatingsystems is designed exclusively for usage with mobile devices. Tablets and smartphones are examples of mobile gadgets. A mobile operating system offers all the functionality that an operating system is responsible for, laying the groundwork for mobile devices to operate efficiently.
Mobile operating systems are created to give touchscreen functionality (in smartphones), extend battery life, and other features. Because mobile devices are only sometimes connected to a power source, these operating systems place a priority on power management to prolong the battery life of such devices.
Some of the most common mobile operating systems include:
Android
Android is one of the most popular and widely used operating system developed by Google.
iOS
iOS is the official operating system developed by Apple for its devices like iphones, ipads and other touch devices.
KaiOS
KaiOS is also a very lightweight mobile operating system that is mainly used in cheaper and affordable devices.
Tizen
Tizen is an open-source operating system. It is mainly used in devices like smart-Tvs, smart-watches, Iot gadgets etc.
What is a Desktop Operating System?
A desktop operating system is a type of operating system that is typically used in large-screen devices with mouse and keyboard inputs, such as personal computers and desktops. The desktop operating system controls the machine's memory, hardware resources, and attached peripherals.
Computers and laptops with big screens often use desktop operating systems. Multitasking is possible with these operating systems, which also boost system productivity. Other tasks carried out by desktop operating systems include managing files, scheduling processes, and managing memory.
Some of the most common desktop operating systems include:
Windows
Windows is the most popular operating system which is used by almost all brands of personal computers.
macOS
macOS is the exclusive operating system developed by Apple to be used in its large screen devices like laptops and desktops.
Ubuntu
Ubuntu is one of the most popular Linux distributions. It offers a free and open source alternatives to windows and macOS.
Chrome OS
Chrome OS is developed and used by Google. It is a lightweight operating system which is mainly used in the Google's Chromebook series of laptops.
Fedora
Like Ubuntu, Fedora is another popular Linux distribution. It is a reliable and feature-rich open-source platform.
Difference between Mobile and Desktop Operating System
Some of the most common differences between mobile and desktop operating systems are discussed below in a tabular format.
Mobile Operating System
Desktop Operating System
Mobile Operating systems are designed mainly for small screen devices like smartphones and tablets.
Desktop Operating System is designed mainly for large screen devices like desktops and laptops.
It mainly focuses on power efficiency and devices with limited hardware.
It is focused on providing better memory and storage efficiency for larger devices.
Limited amount of multitasking due to the limited resources.
Higher degree of multitasking due to more resources.
It has comparatively less boot time.
It takes comparatively more time to boot.
It needs a comparatively lesser amount of memory to run.
It takes more memory to operate.
It manages the cellular and wireless connectivity of the device.
It manages the hardware and software resources of the system.
Mobile Operating System operates on touchscreen or touch pads.
Desktop Operating systems work on input devices like mouse and keyboards.
Some examples include Android, iOS etc.
Some common examples include Windows, Linux, MacOS.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main goal of mobile operating systems?
Mobile Operating systems are used in portable devices like smartphones and tablets. The primary purpose of mobile OS is to optimize energy usage to increase the device's battery life.
What is the main difference between mobile and desktop operating systems?
Mobile Operating systems are designed to provide functionality like touchscreen and long battery life in portable devices like smartphones. On the other hand, desktop operating systems are built for larger machines with mouse and keyboard inputs.
What is the role of graphical User Interface in the operating system?
The Graphical user interface provides a visual way for the users to interact with the OS and applications. GUI includes elements like icons, windows, buttons, menus, etc.
Conclusion
In this article, we discussed the Difference between Mobile and Desktop Operating systems. We discussed in detail about mobile operating systems and Desktop Operating systems. We also discussed some key differences between mobile and desktop operating systems. In the end, we concluded by discussing some frequently asked questions.
So now that you know about Difference between Mobile and Desktop Operating systems, you can refer to similar articles.
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