Unlike the PC and mobile device sectors, a wide range of commercial and open-source operating systems drive the Internet of Things (IoT). This article introduces eight leading IoT operating systems and their respective best use cases.
The tech industry spends a significant amount of time focusing on the IoT craze. Both profit-driven tech companies and members of the open-source community promote their respective operating systems, claiming to be suitable for various IoT applications. However, not every operating system is ideal for every IoT purpose. Consequently, there is a certain diversity in the IoT operating system space.
When the topic of IoT and operating systems arises in the IT world, you often hear the term “embedded operating system” used interchangeably with “real-time operating system” (RTOS). In reality, some embedded operating systems have real-time capabilities while others do not.
True RTOS IoT devices need to process data without buffering delays. The benefits of RTOS include: the ability to achieve multitasking, scheduling and prioritizing tasks, and managing resource sharing among multiple tasks. These operating systems are typically used in more complex aerospace, industrial, and medical IoT devices.
On the other hand, there are less complex but still fully functional operating systems that have other advantages: lower power consumption and lower resource requirements, such as processing power and memory. In most cases, the growth rate of such operating systems will surpass that of RTOS, at least for the first generation of IoT devices.
We will introduce eight different operating systems that we believe will drive the IoT industry. While there are many alternative operating systems not covered here, this article represents a broad range of operating system capabilities, including some open-source and some commercial operating systems. Ultimately, they embody operating systems that can support all devices: from satellites and connected refrigerators to smart technologies embedded in watches and clothing.
Let’s take a look at these various operating systems and the companies/communities surrounding them. Finally, tell us which operating systems you think will have the greatest impact on IoT, or if you believe we missed one or two that should be mentioned.
RIOT OS
RIOT OS is an open-source community project that has been underway since 2008. RIOT can run on a variety of platforms, including embedded devices and PCs (as well as a multitude of extremely popular sensor/actuator boards), and it features an easy-to-use API. This operating system is well-known for its efficiency in power consumption and resource demands.
Windows 10 For IoT
Microsoft’s latest embedded operating system is called Windows 10 for IoT. Under this umbrella, there are three sub-operating systems depending on your requirements. The first is Windows 10 for IoT Mobile, which supports ARM architecture. The next is Windows 10 for IoT Core, which supports Raspberry Pi and Intel Atom. The last is Windows 10 for IoT Enterprise—this is somewhat like a full-featured Windows 10 Enterprise, but limited to running a single application.
Since Windows 10 for IoT is a new product, it is clearly lagging behind many other IoT operating systems in terms of user base and experienced developers. That said, this operating system has great potential—especially if you want to develop applications in-house. Ultimately, those accustomed to using Visual Studio and Azure IoT services will be attracted to the complete Windows 10 for IoT solution.
WindRiver VxWorks
WindRiver’s VxWorks is possibly the most popular commercial RTOS in use today. It provides a reliable operating system with high flexibility. VxWorks also offers many security features that are crucial for IoT projects that require them. VxWorks is well-known in industrial, medical, and aerospace sectors because it is one of the few RTOS vendors that meet the necessary certification requirements for those industries.
Google Brillo
Google announced last fall at the Google I/O conference its intention to launch Brillo, entering the embedded operating system market. The development platform for the Android-based embedded operating system is well-suited for those with a solid background in writing Android applications. Brillo uses a communication protocol called Weave. This means that smart devices do not necessarily need to have embedded Android as their operating system—they just need to be able to communicate using Weave. This opens the door for a large number of manufacturers to integrate Weave into their IoT products, ultimately allowing these products to work with Brillo.
ARM Mbed OS
ARM is developing its own open-source embedded operating system called mbed OS. Since it is developed by ARM, ARM is the only supported architecture. That said, this operating system is expected to shine in the smart home and wearable device segments of the IoT market. This operating system differs from many other embedded operating systems because it is single-threaded rather than multi-threaded. ARM believes this is essential for the operating system to run on the smallest, lowest power-consuming devices. If physical size and battery life are crucial, IoT devices may ultimately run on mbed OS.
Embedded Apple iOS and OS X
Although Apple has not yet played a significant role in the current IoT market, it will certainly play such a role soon. So far, Apple has adopted variants of its operating system platform to develop several IoT devices, such as Apple TV, CarPlay (with BlackBerry QNX), and Apple Watch.
Looking ahead, Apple is expected to continue using its iOS and modify OS X so that it can run more streamlined and efficiently on IoT endpoint devices. Developers can use tools like the recently released HomeKit, a framework for building applications that control home automation devices.
Nucleus RTOS
Nucleus RTOS is an embedded operating system developed by Mentor Graphics. The company claims its software currently runs on over 3 billion devices, which is quite a substantial install base. This operating system provides robust support for a wide range of embedded architectures and is popular in verticals such as automotive, medical, utilities, industrial, and consumer electronics.
Green Hills Integrity
Another longstanding commercial RTOS solution is Green Hills’ Integrity. It competes fiercely in verticals such as aerospace/defense, automotive, industrial, and medical. The company also continues to be popular in the consumer IoT market, thanks to its longstanding reputation for performance, security, and reliability.
Conclusion
Unlike the PC, tablet, and smartphone sectors, it is unlikely that only a few operating systems will dominate the entire IoT market. Instead, we will have to face dozens of popular choices, each with specific pros and cons. The eight operating systems introduced in this article illustrate the wide range of options available and the fields in which they may be used.
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