Difference between Android and Windows OS

Android and Windows both are the best operating systems that are compatible with different smartphones and tablets. Both operating systems have millions of users from all over the world and have different features and spec sheets from each other.

Android is developed and distributed by Google, and Windows is developed and distributed by Microsoft. From the beginning onwards, Android phones are much common in the market because of their cheap rates, and many of the companies are promoting Android devices. The Android operating system is free, whereas the Windows operating system is closed sourced.

Windows Phone has a limited number of manufacturers, and most of the devices are much costlier. The major drawback of the Windows operating system is that the updates are provided only by Microsoft, and the applications for the Windows operating system are limited. The Android operating system get updates from different parties, and there are so many Android apps available compared to Windows operating system.

The latest version of the operating system is Windows 8.1 for Windows-based Smartphones, whereas Android 4.4 Kitkat for Android-based smartphones. The Windows Smartphone offers a live tiles type of interface. If we compare Android with Windows Phone 8.0, there should be a lot of differences. But if we compare Android with Windows Phone 8.1, it becomes a powerful opponent. Android and Windows OS are similar in the following aspects, such as:

Android and Windows CE both support Multiple language support.
Android and Windows CE both allows Email services, Web services, Remote Login.
Android and Windows CE allow Alternate Keyboards, which supports multiple keyboards and makes them easy to install.

Android OS

Android is an open-source platform that designed for different devices, especially tablets, Smartphone, and watches. It is based on the modified version of the Linux kernel and other open-source software.

This operating system was developed by a developer known as Open Handset Alliance, and later it was owned by Google Company. Android is the most powerful OS, which supports millions of applications and games. It was developed using C, Java, C++ and other languages. Google launched the first version of Android in 2008, and the latest stable version of Android is Android 10. It is provided completely free of cost.

Some specific developers do not operate it like other operating systems. Still, it is an open-source feature allowing developers from all over the world to develop. Android OS was easy to use compared to other operating systems and supported by most devices worldwide. Google Play Store offers you millions of applications and games for free.

Features of Android OS

The number of apps available in the store is one of its attractive features, and the ability to do extra activities such as rooting also makes it much attractive. Apps like Flash Transfer are very helpful for sending different types of files in Android. The main problem of low-end Android devices is their poor performance when performing multiple tasks. Below are some more features of Android OS:

Beautiful UI: Android OS basic screen provides a beautiful and intuitive user interface.
Multi-touch: Android has native support for multi-touch which was initially made available in handsets like the HTC Hero.
Multi-tasking: The user can jump from one task to another, and various applications can run simultaneously.
Resizable widgets: Widgets are resizable, so users can expand them to show more content or shrink them to save space.
GCM: Google Cloud Messaging (GCM) is a service that lets developers send short message data to their users on Android devices without needing a proprietary sync solution.
Wi-Fi Direct: A technology that lets apps discover and pair directly over a high-bandwidth peer-to-peer connection.
Android Beam: A popular NFC-based technology that lets users instantly share, just by touching two NFC-enabled phones together.

Windows OS

Windows is a group of various proprietary graphical operating systems which is provided by Microsoft Incorporation. It is also known as Microsoft Windows. It currently includes Windows NT and Windows IoT as members of its family. Earlier it included Windows 9x, Windows Mobile and Windows Phone, which are no longer in use.

It is the most used operating system in personal computers, and this operating system is also for all smartphones, tablets, PC, and Laptops. Most users from all over the world prefer Windows operating systems over other OS, and millions of users are using them.

Microsoft released up to more than 15 versions of Windows with different features, and Microsoft launched the first version of Windows in 1985. The most recent version of Windows for personal computers is Windows 10, which gives unlimited features and has the best security feature that helps protect your important data.

Moreover, it comes with a built-in virus feature that alerts you when you download suspicious files from the internet. Its Window Defender feature allows you to protect your PC or laptop against unwanted software.

Features of Windows OS

Windows Phone 8.1 comes with better features than Windows Phone 8.0, such as a notification bar like Android, file manager availability, better performance even on low-end devices, and better security measures against malware are some of the best features of Windows Phone. Here are some more useful features of Windows OS:

Control Panel: Windows provides a Control Panel feature that includes many tools to configure and manage the resources on their computer.
Cortana: Windows 10 introduced a feature named Cortana, which can accept voice commands.
Disk Cleanup: It is used to free up disk space with the help of deleting temporary or unnecessary files. It also helps to enhance the computer's performance and boost storage space to download programs and documents.
Task Manager: Windows includes the task manager feature that provides detail of the running applications or programs on the computer.

Difference between Android and Windows OS

Both Operating Systems give their best performance depends on the Hardware. But still, both operating systems have lots of differences as follows:

Terms	Android OS	Windows OS
Developer	Android was developed and owned by Google LLC.	Windows was developed and owned by Microsoft Incorporation.
Devices	Android is specifically designed for mobile devices.	Windows is designed for PC of all companies.
Default User Interface	Android has a Graphical (Multi-touch) user interface.	Windows OS Graphical (Metro UI).
Home Screen	In android phones, the Home screen has background wallpaper with basic apps like camera, gallery, phone, contact, etc. The widgets can also add to the home screen.	In windows phone, the Home screen is the Live tiles which are the combination of some basic apps like camera, gallery, phone, message, contact etc. with some other useful apps and widgets.
Kernel	In Android, the Kernel type is Linux-based.	In Windows, the Kernel type is Hybrid with modules here.
Apps	Android is an open-source platform, so it has more applications and games than a windows operating system. Android OS comes with Google PlayStore, which has more than 2.2 million applications and games that work with different Android versions.	Windows Store does not even offer you millions of apps. Moreover, some of these apps and games are free to download, while some are paid.
Cost	Android apps are free of cost.	Windows apps are charged for the original version.
Security	Android is not more secured because it is an open-source platform.	The Windows operating system offers you more security as compared to Android OS. The Windows Store is not as simple as the Android Operating system. To upload any apps, users need to go through strict security checkups.
Languages	Android OS uses Java, C, C++ languages.	Windows OS uses C, C++ languages.
Supported platforms	Android OS supports ARM, MIPS, x86, I.MX.	Windows OS only supports x86
Root Support	All Android OS are supported for root access.	Currently, any Windows phone OS does not support root access.
Settings	Android provides a clear set of settings for different applications and makes user jobs much easier.	In Windows Phone, a lot of settings make users confused, and users face difficulties.
Keyboard	Users can customize the keyboard layout depending on their use, whether it has to go for a default version or a swipe one.	Windows Phone is strict as the user has to go with a swipe keyboard and leaves no other choice for users.