The Long Odds On 8 Upstart Mobile OSes

Ubuntu, Firefox, Tizen, Sailfish, WebOS, Nokia Series 40, BlackBerry, and Windows Phone want a piece of the pie, but it won’t be a cakewalk. ‘With iOS and Android dominating the mobile ecosystem so thoroughly, the other eight — yes, eight — wannabe players are seeking ways to stand out. Most are targeting what they hope are niches that iOS and Android won’t take over, though a couple still have dreams of displacing Android or iOS, or at least becoming a significant No. 3. Realistic? No — most will fail, though we won’t know which for a while. In the meantime, here’s who else is vying for your attention as a user or developer and how they hope to convince you they’re worth adopting.’