Operating Systems for Desktop PC and Mobile Devices

Topic 5: General Questions 

5 A. List six functions that operating systems on a computer or a mobile phone and give a general definition in your own words of each function. 

The Windows operating system provides for a graphic user interface between the user and the computer system therefore allowing input through peripheral devices such as the mouse or keyboard. 

The operating system is used in the booting up, loading and the repair of the essential programs before the computer starts. 

An operating system ensures an efficient allocation of system resources such as the Processor, RAM or Hard disk storage by breaking up large tasks into smaller processes which are easy to execute. 

Operating systems creates a hardware abstraction or Application Program Interface (API) in order to interact with different hardware sold by different manufacturers and vendors. 

Operating systems such as Windows allows for the multi-tasking between different applications such as Microsoft word and spreadsheet processors which are running at the same time. 

Operating systems provides a means of organizing, storing and retrieving data on the Hard disk using file formats such as the FAT or NTFS filing system. 

Multi user and distributed operating systems allows for sharing of system resources such as files and folders between multiple users using file restrictions such as passwords (Thakur, n.d.) . 

5 B. List six versions of the Apple iOS operating system for the iPhone and the year they were released ( Richter, 2017) . 

Version Date Enhancements 

iOS 1.0 2007 first touch sensitive iPhone 

iOS 2.0 2008 App Store feature 

IPhone 3G 

iOS 3.0 2009 MMS (multimedia 

Messaging) 

Copy paste functionalities 

IPhone 3GS 

iOS 4.0 2010 free download for iPod touch 

IPhone 4 

iOS 5.0 2011 sync with iCloud and iTunes 

IPhone 4s 

iOS 6.0 2012 inbuilt Google Maps 

Siri restaurant reservations 

Passbook app 

IPhone 5 

iOS 7.0 2013 AirDrop wireless sharing. 

Multitasking capabilities 

IPhone 5s 

(“iOS: Everything you need to know about Apple’s mobile OS,” 2018) 

5C. Windows 10 System Requirements 

Processor Speeds: Intel processor with a minimum processor speeds of 1 gigahertz (GHz). 

Random Access Memory (RAM): 1 GB Random Access Memory (RAM) for the 32 bit version and 2GB for the 64 bit version. 

Hard disk drive (HDD): A minimum of 16 Gigabytes (GB) available hard disk space or more. 

Graphics processing unit (GPU): Requires a high resolution screen larger than 3 inches, installed with a DirectX 9 Graphics acceleration card. 

Internet access: For software installation and updates. 

Firefox or Google chrome browser installed ( Microsoft, n.d ., Windows 10 Specifications) 

Requires the installation of .NET 3.5 or higher ( Protalinski, 2015). 

References 

Android Support. VERIZON. Verizon Wireless. Retrieved May 24, 2018, from https://www.verizonwireless.com/support/android-nougat-os/ 

iOS: Everything you need to know about Apple’s mobile OS. (2018 February 19). 

FINDER. Finder US. Retrieved May 24, 2018, from https://www.finder.com/ios-operating-system 

Nosrati, M., Karimi, R., & Hasanvand, H. A. (2012). Mobile computing: principles, devices and operating systems. World Applied Programming , 2 (7), 399-408. 

Protalinski, E. Microsoft reveals Windows 10 hardware requirements and upgrade path. (2015 March 18). REDHAT . Retrieved May 24, 2018, from https://venturebeat.com/2015/03/18/microsoft-reveals-windows-10-hardware-requirements-and-upgrade-paths/ 

Richter, F. How Long Does Apple Support Older iPhone Models? (2017 September 18). The Statistics Portal . STATISTA. Retrieved May 24, 2018, from https://www.statista.com/chart/5824/ios-iphone-compatibility/ 

Thakur, D. Functions of Operating System. ECOMPUTER NOTES . Retrieved May 24, 2018, from http://ecomputernotes.com/fundamental/disk-operating-system/functions-of-operating-system . 

The next version of iOS, released on September 19. MACROMOURS. Retrieved May 24, 2018, from https://www.macrumors.com/roundup/ios-11/ 

Tilson, D., Sorensen, C., & Lyytinen, K. (2012, January). Change and control paradoxes in mobile infrastructure innovation: the Android and iOS mobile operating systems cases. In System Science (HICSS), 2012 45th Hawaii International Conference on (pp. 1324-1333). IEEE. 

Windows 10 Specifications & Systems Requirements. Microsoft. Retrieved from https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-10-specifications .