This article describes the process of how to find out the operating system of your phone. Before asking in the comments what operating system your phone has, read this article.
Many are looking for Flash Player for phone or mobile app VKontakte for their phone, but they do not know the operating system of the phone at all. After you determine the operating system of the phone, it will be much easier for you to find a flash player for your phone and the VKontakte mobile application.
This article will not reflect on what is the best operating system for the phone, it will describe how to determine the operating system of the phone. The same instruction is also suitable for determining operating system tablets.
The following mobile phone operating systems exist
- Android
- Windows Phone 7
- Windows Phone 8
- Windows Mobile
- Nokia Belle (Symbian)
- Blackberry
Phones with these operating systems are called smartphones.
Separately, we can single out phones that do not have such an operating system. Most often it is regular phones that run on their platform.
How to identify the operating system of your phone
To know the operating system, it is usually enough to know the make and model of the phone.
Examples of phone companies: Apple, Nokia, Samsung, HTC, Sony ericsson.
If you do not know the company of your phone, then inspect the phone. If this is not some chinese phone, then for sure it has the name or logo of the company. If you cannot determine, then look at the phone box or documentation. If it doesn’t work, then ask your friends or a cell phone store to help identify the company.
If you have an Apple device(iPhone, iPad, iPod) - then the operating system iOS.
If not Apple, then there may be many options that depend not on the manufacturer, but on the phone model.
Determine your phone model. For example, Samsung s5230, Nokia 5230, HTC Desire, etc.
If you do not know and cannot determine the phone by the box or documents, then go to a mobile phone store and ask a consultant, or go to the store's website mobile devices and try to find your phone from the photos.
When you find out your phone model, go to market.yandex.ru and enter the company and model of your phone in the search, for example Nokia N8, Sony Ericsson Xperia arc S.
Go to the page of your phone in the search and look for something like: Specifications, Operating system, OS.
There, you can see for example: Android 2.3 or Nokia Belle.
If you don't find the text "Operating system" then look "Platform", for example: Series 40.
If your phone only has a platform, for example Series 40, then you do not have a smartphone, but regular phone... There is no flash player for these phones. Only Java applications can be installed on such a phone.
If you managed to determine the operating system of your phone, then write the phone model and operating system in the comments. Maybe someone, after reading this manual, still does not understand how to find out the operating system of the phone. Help these people.
Examples of operating systems of the most popular phones
IOS phones:
All iPhones. This includes all iPads and iPod Touch.
Android phones:
Samsung Galaxy S III, Sony Xperia, HTC Desire, HTC One.
Operating room phones Windows system Phone:
Nokia Lumia 920, Nokia Lumia 820, Nokia Lumia 610, HTC Windows Phone 8X, Samsung S7530 Omnia M.
Operating room phones Symbian system, Nokia Belle:
Nokia 5800, Nokia 5228, Nokia 5230, Nokia 5530, Nokia C5-00, Nokia C5-03, Nokia C7-00, Nokia N8, Nokia E72.
Phones with Bada operating system:
Samsung Wave Y S5380, Samsung S7250 Wave.
Regular telephones:
Samsung S5230, Nokia 2700, Nokia C3-01, Explay Power.
You cannot change the operating system on your phone. Sometimes you can only update it. If you had Android, then you can only update to a more recent one Android version... If it was iOS, you can only update to iOS.
Sometimes support for a device is discontinued, and then it will not work to upgrade to a more recent operating system.
But first of all, you need to get to know more about the very concept of firmware. Some users do not know what it is, so they often have problems with, for example, updating the firmware. That is, they don't even understand what they need to update. However, if you consider yourself knowledgeable in this matter, you can skip this block and proceed with the main steps in the next. Read how to find out the firmware version on Android.
So, for the rest of the readers, we will open the curtain of the unknown. The firmware version is nothing more than the version installed. For example, if you have Android 6.0 Marshmallow, then the version number 6.0 is installed. See how easy it was? Some people talk about the OS version, while others label it as the firmware version. This does not change the essence, so we can say that these are synonymous words. They both mean inline software, settings manager, parameters and common work devices.
It should be noted that in addition to official firmware there are custom ones that are created third party developers... They differ in settings, appearance and design, as well as a set separate utilities and functions. Such versions cannot be updated in an official way, but you need to wait until its creator releases an update and instructions for it.
How to find out the Android version?
As noted earlier, there are several ways to find out which one. We will consider each of them in detail so that you can choose the most convenient and suitable one for you. Go:
How can obtaining such information help? Why do people try to find out the Android version? Let's figure it out when there is a need for this:
- For example, if you want from a store Google play Market. On the page of the program or game, it will be separately noted with which OS version this application can work. Then you can compare yours and the required one, and then download the product;
- Users are advised to keep the software version up to date, that is, on the latest released firmware. You can go to the tablet manufacturer's page and check what is the latest update for your device. Compare it with the version installed on your tablet and update the device if necessary;
- If you gave your device for flashing, and upon receipt received a poorly working device, then you need to see which version is now. If it is higher than the last presented by the manufacturer, then you have installed the wrong software. It is not officially supported by the device, therefore, during its operation, problems and crashes may occur.
Outcomes
Friends, today we have replenished our knowledge base: now you know how to view and determine the Android version. For this, we have highlighted two possible ways with which you can carry out this operation. We also reviewed the recommendations for using the information received. We hope that you managed to determine the relevance of the operating system of your tablet. Tell us in the comments which version you have.
Similar articles
The majority of Android users are interested in flashing tablets for many reasons: you need to update the system or there is a desire to install third-party software, or to return the device to working condition... However, the process itself is quite simple, but differs depending on the manufacturer. We'll look at how Texet firmware TM7866 and other models of the brand, and how to do it right,
If you recently used a push-button mobile phone, then you may not even suspect that modern smartphones are supplied with different operating systems. And it's not even about the fact that it can be not only Android, but also Windows Phone, BlackBerry OS, as well as the well-known iOS. Differ in different smartphones even OS versions! Therefore, in today's article we will talk about how to find out the version of Android, as well as the meaning of the updates.
Why is the latest version of the operating system so important?
Many novice smartphone users do not attach any importance to the version of the installed operating system at all. They take from their hands the apparatus that functions under Android 4.2, after which they are surprised by the instability of the work and the small number of supported applications.
Depending on the version of the mobile operating system, the functionality of the device differs. There are so many in the "five" and "six" different settings and opportunities that it is already difficult to come up with something new. It should also be noted that many utilities and games are developed with an eye to fresh versions Android. And if your device has an old version of the operating system, then some games and programs may not even start. And if they do work, then with interruptions and unexpected departures. Only old applications that were originally designed for your version of the operating system will function stably.
Learn more about the main differences different versions We'll talk about Android next time. In the meantime, you should understand how to find out the version of Android on a tablet or smartphone. Let's say right away that the mentioned method works on all devices, regardless of their type and the installed proprietary shell.
The only and easiest way
Step 1. First, you need to get into " Settings". The corresponding icon can be found in the menu, and sometimes on the desktop.
Note: button " Settings"Is often found in the notification panel, if you pull it out completely.
Step 2. Scroll down the list and click on the item " About the phone».
Step 3. Read the displayed information. It is possible that you will see the firmware and OS version right here.
Step 4. On some devices, you need to go to an additional subsection. For example, in Samsung devices it has the name “ Software Information».
Google is introducing an interesting Easter egg into each version of its operating system. To view it, quickly click about ten times on the Android version. As a result, you will see an image of this or that delicacy, which corresponds to the name of this version. And sometimes you can even get into a mini-game like that - in particular, it is available in Android 6.0.
This is how you can easily find out the Android version on your phone. Often this section contains information about the kernel version, security level, build number, and other software parameters. But all this is required only for professionals who know much more about all this in comparison with ordinary users.
In order to timely update your programs, install applications, as well as check the compatibility of games and new programs, it is important to accurately determine the version of your android on your phone or tablet. Technical documentation will not help in this matter, especially since many fakes have appeared original products... Our article will tell you how to find out which version of android on your phone in several ways.
Operating room android system widely used in the creation of mobile phones, tablet computers, televisions and other modern digital devices... It is based on Linux kernel, and its developer is Google. The first launch of the Android version took place back in September 2008. Since then, the world has seen over 40 system updates. Mostly the changes concerned the functionality of the devices, as well as bug fixes previous versions... The Android system is still being improved, because new versions appear constantly. The year of release or the model of the phone will tell you little what version of Android is on your device. However, this information is very important in some situations.
Why you need to know the version of your Android:
- To check for the latest updates.
- To determine the compatibility of an installed program, game or application.
- To get root rights to access the phone.
- For flashing the device.
It is very easy to see which version is installed on your phone. To do this, you need to go to the "Settings" section and find there the item "About phone" or with any similar name. It contains all the necessary information about the model, Android version, firmware of the communication module, the amount of RAM and internal memory.
The developers have also encrypted an "Easter egg" for each version. It is very easy to open it, just press your finger several times on the line "Android version". After a short time, a splash screen or a small animation will appear on the screen.
This is interesting: initially, the developers decided to give names to new versions of android after the names of famous robots - heroes of popular science fiction.
The first products were named "Astroboy" and "Bender", although the definitions of alpha and beta testing are often found in the literature. Subsequently, the decision caused a lot of copyright problems, so this analogy had to be abandoned. An equally creative option was the use of the names of sweets in the codename for new programs. Accounting is carried out by alphabetical order, so you can guess in advance what codenames will have later versions Android. By the way, the most current version was published in March 2018, but so far its name is presented as "P".
How to find out android version: on a tablet
In a similar way, you can determine the version of your tablet computer. Typically, some of the products released by Google are used specifically for these devices and do not support smartphones.
How to find out the version of android on a tablet:
- Select the "Settings" item in the device menu.
- This section should contain an information line "About the device".
- When clicked, the tablet based information should be displayed.
In addition to the development version, in this section you can specify the date last update security settings, basic technical characteristics.
Find out the android version on the Samsung Galaxy phone
Popular models of this phone are constantly updated, so keeping track of the manufacturer's information is extremely difficult. OS version information on samsung galaxy can also be seen in the settings.
Smartphone update via TVRP
Have modern user the joy of acquiring a new "advanced" model is usually relatively short-lived. As you use it, questions often arise about expanding the phone's resources, connecting updates, and even full flashing devices. Usually, with the release of a new version of the operating system, developers completely forget about the "old" models, so upgrade traditional ways pretty hard. To improve and update models, there is a very convenient service- Team Win Recovery Project or TWRP. It is quite easy to flash a phone via tvrp if the following conditions are met.
Important nuances of the firmware:
- Without a lack of experience, required programs and equipment, it is very risky to perform the firmware on your own.
- Executing the firmware automatically cancels the manufacturer's warranty for the device, so doing such manipulations on new smartphones is risky (and impractical in principle).
- You must first do backup information contained on the device. This is what the TWRP utility is used for. It is more powerful, allows you to do system recovery even in desperate situations.
According to permission Google, manufacturers electronic devices based on Android can change the interface and design of their products without additional approval from the developer. That is why phone models can be radically different, but at the same time contain the same version of Android. That is why information is important on how to find out the version of android on a smartphone or tablet computer before downloading updates or installing new programs on your device.
If you are faced with the question of how to find out the version of Android on mobile phone or tablet, there will be several solutions. You can see necessary information in the appropriate section of the settings, use special programs or benchmarks.
View version through settings
Depending on whether you are using the manufacturer's proprietary shell installed on top of a "pure" Android, the path to determine the version is slightly different. But in general, you can check the version using one algorithm:
If the manufacturer installs a proprietary shell on top of Android, then the procedure will change slightly. Let's see how you can find out the version of Android on Samsung phone... The start will be standard:
For a better understanding of the essence of the procedure, let's see how to check the Android version for another shell Samsung... There are few differences, but without their knowledge, you can get lost for a while.
Above the section "About the device" there is an item "Software update". By clicking on it, you can check for updates to the operating system. Not all phones allow you to update Android, but if the function is supported, then you can try installing next version system, if available. It is important to understand that the update does not work on custom firmware that users themselves collect. It is possible to update only the official firmware supported by the manufacturer of the device.
Programs and benchmarks to view the version
Benchmarks are services for testing the power of mobile devices. These services not only conduct synthetic tests, but also show information about the investigated device. To view information in AnTuTu, go to the "Info" section, and in Geekbench 4 - to the "CPU" section. 
For information on technical characteristics can be used mobile versions programs AIDA64 and CPU-Z. 
In CPU-Z, you need to open the "System" section, and in AIDA64 - the "Android" tab. The only drawback of this method is the need to install special software. But the information about the device of the program gives much more than the settings.
At first glance, the question of which version of Android is better has one strictly defined answer - the newer one. Once in 2016 Android 7.0 appeared, then it needs to be installed on the phone. But in reality, everything is a little more complicated: the most a new version will not work on all devices. Therefore, when answering the question which version of Android is better, you need to take into account the class of the device, on which its characteristics depend.
Formally, all Android devices can be divided into three segments:
- Budgetary.
- Middle class.
- Flagships.
Latest Versions Android is installed on flagships - the most powerful and expensive devices from specific manufacturer... For example, the first phone with Android 7.0 was the LG V20. A whole series of top smartphones other manufacturers will receive an update to Android 7.0 Nougat within a few months.
Good budget employee and even a mid-range phone will never be able to handle Android, which is installed on the flagship. If you put on budget smartphone at least Android 6.0, then it will not work or will start to slow down terribly. The developers say that with each update, Android is getting faster, but to implement this acceleration, suitable components are needed, the cost of which automatically raises the phone to the level of flagships. That is why, when answering the question which version is better, it is necessary to proceed from the characteristics of the device. At the end of 2016, such a division will be relevant.
