Regardless of how good or bad a mobile OS it was, Windows Phone 7 failed to make any considerable impact on the mobile market, while both iOS and Android grew to become synonymous with the term “smartphone platforms”. It’d be unfair to label WP7 as entirely insignificant, as its Mango iteration is good enough to hold its own against other major players in many regards. The social network integration, for instance, is quite commendable, and then there is its unique yet simple interface that a lot of users have grown to revere, and a lot of third party apps have tried to replicate. While WP7 wasn’t as bad as some make it out to be, there can be no denying the fact that it has never posed a threat to iOS or Android. Even Microsoft realized that after some time, which is probably what gave birth to Windows Phone 8. The Apollo upgrade has the potential to make Windows Phone relevant in the smartphone market. Almost every feature that was missing until Mango has arrived in Windows Phone with Apollo. It is up to the users to decide whether Windows Phone is good enough to be held up against iOS and Android, but the following comparison may help you reach a conclusion.

This comparison is merely factual, and not analytical, in nature. It must be admitted that there are things about all these platforms that our comparison chart can’t depict. For instance, while Android and iOS have got the same number of apps, there can be no denying the fact that Apple’s iTunes App Store is currently way ahead in terms of app quality. iOS has a great native gaming platform, Android has greater flexibility, while WP8 comes with a great productivity suite and integration with Windows 8. But Windows Phone really come of age, or does it need more time to be able to stand up there with the two head honchos? As stated in the intro, it all boils down to personal choice and your daily needs.

Do let us know which of the three platforms you prefer and what features form your preference, and if there are any features that you think should be added to the chart above. Would you be willing to switch from your favorite platform, and if so, for what features?

Sameed Khan contributed to this article

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