Windows 8 vs iOS 5: Comparing the Features

September 19, 2011 3:47 PM EDT

Two new mobile platforms coming soon: Apple's iOS 5, and Microsoft's Windows 8, respectively. Courtesy flickr/backofthenapkin

Unveiled at Microsoft's Build conference, Windows 8 looks to loosen Apple's grip on the mobile technology market, particularly with tablets. We take a look at the companies' two new operating systems and compare them across several strata, from visuals to ease-of-use, to find the positives and negatives of both designs.

General Appearance

Microsoft: The Windows 8 home screen is beautiful, with colorful boxes and rectangles displaying real-time news and information. Windows 8's large displays can show photos, text, or icons, and the system also provides visual previews of file contents, making it easier to sift through information.

Apple: The 4x4 icon display is back, but with customizable backgrounds and folders, and the look is really what the user makes of it.

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Verdict: While Apple excels at striking a balance between beauty and simplicity, Windows gets the nod for its stylish presentation and easy-to-read displays.

Advantage: Windows 8

Architecture

Microsoft: Microsoft has traditionally relied on Intel for its chips, but Windows 8 promises to run on new "system-on-a-chip" (SoC) processors made from ARM Holdings. These lightweight chips are optimized for tablets and mobile devices, and are much more energy efficient. Sorry, Intel.

Apple: Apple's next-generation mobile devices powered by iOS 5, including the iPhone 5, iPad 2, and iPod Touch, will similarly be run on a package on package SoC processor called the Apple A5, which reportedly has a CPU twice as powerful as the Apple A4 and a graphics processor up to nine times as powerful as its predecessor.

The Verdict: While the processors that run these two platforms are comparable in speed, ARM-based Windows 8 tablets won't be able to run apps built for Windows 7 x86 desktop computers, eliminating any chance for cross-platform compatibility.

Advantage: iOS 5

Interface

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