A
mobile operating system (or
mobile OS) is an
operating system for
smartphones,
tablets,
PDAs, or other
mobile devices. While computers such as the typical
laptop are mobile, the operating systems usually used on them are not considered mobile ones as they were originally designed for bigger stationary
desktop computers that historically did not have or need specific "mobile" features. This distinction is getting blurred in some newer operating systems that are hybrids made for both uses.