Microsoft demoed the Mango update last month boasting 500 new features, including a mobile version of Internet Explorer 9. In a preview video, Microsoft vice president Joe Belfiore ran a test between phones running Windows Phone 7, Android, BlackBerry OS and iOS and declared Windows Phone the winner.
According to the test, Microsoft's device rendered HTML5 content at 24 frames per second, compared to 2 frames per second on the iPhone 4. It should be noted, however that the test was developed by Microsoft specifically for mobile IE9 and the tested iPhone 4 was using Wi-Fi only, while other devices appeared to be using a 3G connection.
Apple may have beat Microsoft at its own test, though, as an iPhone 4 running the beta release of iOS 5 has reached 31 frames per second on the test, as noted by WinRumors. However, a screenshot demonstrating the test results still lists the iOS 4.3 version of Mobile Safari.
While it remains unclear whether Apple has added full HTML5 hardware acceleration to mobile Safari in iOS 5, the mobile web browsing experience has seen substantial performance boosts in the latest version of iOS. For example, iOS 5 adds support for the Nitro JavaScript engine to full-screen Web apps.
Windows Phone 7 and iOS 5 are both scheduled for a fall release, though Microsoft and Apple have yet to set specific release dates.
Apple unveiled iOS 5 earlier this month at the Worldwide Developers Conference. The free update is billed as having a PC-free design with wireless syncing and updates. Apple boasts 200 new user features and 1500 APIs in iOS 5.
Meanwhile, Microsoft has teamed up with Nokia, reportedly paying billions to Nokia in exchange for the company's commitment to Windows Phone 7. In February, Nokia announced plans to ditch its Symbian mobile operating system and begin making smartphones running Windows Phone. Nokia confirmed last month that the first of its devices to run Windows Phone 7 will feature the Mango update.
Research group IDC predicts the Microsoft and Nokia partnership will help boost Windows Phone market share from 3.8 percent in 2011 to 20.3 percent in 2015, while Apple's share of the worldwide smartphone market is expected to dip from 18.2 percent to 16.9 percent during the same period.
51 Comments
The game's afoot! Or a foot
I expect the title of fastest to move between the major players, but it's good to see Microsoft taking HTML5 seriously.
The game's afoot! Or a foot
I expect the title of fastest to move between the major players, but it's good to see Microsoft taking HTML5 seriously.
I'm waiting for the MS bashing to start, but it really shouldn't. They've made bigger strides in web code than anyone else in the past two years. Of course they had a lot of catching up to do but they have done a great job. I think they are still the only browser the HW accelerates Canvas unless that iOS 5.0 Safari build is including it in WebKit 2.0.edit: I got 27 fps on iPad 2 with iOS 5.0b1 and 60 fps on my MBP running Lion Preview 4. What MS says about the Speed Reading Test:
edit2: Just booted into SL from same machine and only got 3 fps for the exact same Speed Reading test. We got some super secret browser boosting. Now we'll have to wait and see if Canvas adds any real value to the web.
I'm waiting for the MS bashing to start, but it really shouldn't. They've made bigger strides in web code than anyone else in the past two years. Of course they had a lot of catching up to do but they have done a great job. I think they are still the only browser the HW accelerates Canvas unless that iOS 5.0 Safari build is including it in WebKit 2.0.
I agree, Microsoft has been doing a great job with IE lately. The only thing that I want to see is a proper extensions platform a la Firefox or Chrome and I will have no issue switching back to it. It is faster and a lot smaller than any other browser on Windows now.
Doesn't matter whether Windows Phone or iOS is faster, in the end, we, the users, win!
I still don't get HTML5. As a Flash replacement it sucks. Ajax also sucks or has limited usefulness since it destroys the back button. Video is the main interest relating to the <video> tag which is all screwed up because of infighting. What good is it?