Preceden

History of Operating Systems Timeline

(1950s - Present)

This timeline covers the major events and milestones in the history of operating systems, from the early days of mainframe computers to the modern era of mobile and cloud computing. Less

Go to: Event List | Key Facts | Directory

Early Operating Systems

GM-NAA I/O

1956

The GM-NAA I/O was the first operating system used for real work, developed by General Motors' Research division for the IBM 704 computer in 1956.

MCP (Master Control Program)

1961

The Burroughs Corporation introduced the MCP operating system with the B5000 computer in 1961, providing advanced features such as memory protection and multitasking.

Image source: Burroughs Large Systems

MCP (Master Control Program)

GECOS

1962

GE introduced the GECOS operating system with the GE-600 series computers in 1962, becoming widely used in commercial applications.

Image source: General Comprehensive Operating System

GECOS

EXEC I and EXEC II

1962

UNIVAC produced the EXEC I operating system for the UNIVAC 1107, followed by the development of the EXEC II operating system by Computer Sciences Corporation, which was delivered to UNIVAC.

EXEC 8

1965

UNIVAC developed the EXEC 8 operating system for the UNIVAC 1108, serving as the basis for operating systems on later members of the UNIVAC family.

Image source: OS 2200

EXEC 8

EXEC II ported to UNIVAC 1108

1965

The EXEC II operating system was ported to the UNIVAC 1108, expanding its usage beyond the UNIVAC 1107.

TOPS-10

1967

Digital Equipment Corporation developed the TOPS-10 operating system for its PDP-10 line of computers in 1967, offering time-sharing capabilities.

Data General Nova

1969

The Data General Nova series of computers introduced in 1969 featured their own operating system, providing a cost-effective solution for small businesses and laboratories.

Image source: Data General Nova

Data General Nova

CP/M-80

1974

Digital Research's CP/M-80, released in 1974, became one of the most important operating systems for early microcomputers based on the 8080/8085/Z-80 CPUs.

Image source: CP/M

CP/M-80

IBM PC BIOS

1981

The IBM PC introduced in 1981 featured a BIOS (Basic Input/Output System), which served as an extension of the CP/M-80 concept and evolved over time to include more features and functions.

Image source: BIOS

IBM PC BIOS

Virtualization

CP/CMS

1968

IBM introduced the notion of a virtual machine in 1968 with CP/CMS on the IBM System/360 Model 67, enabling multiple virtual machines to run on a single physical machine.

Image source: CP/CMS

CP/CMS

VMware Workstation

1999

VMware popularized virtualization with their 1999 product, VMware Workstation, allowing users to run multiple operating systems simultaneously on a single computer.

Image source: VMware Workstation

VMware Workstation

Mobile Operating Systems

Palm OS

1996

Palm Computing released the Pilot 1000 and Pilot 5000 in 1996, running the Palm OS, which became popular in personal digital assistants (PDAs).

Image source: Palm OS

Palm OS

Symbian

1998

Symbian was the world's most widely used smartphone operating system until 2010, with a peak market share of 74% in 2006.

Image source: Symbian

Symbian

Windows Mobile

2000

Microsoft Windows CE served as the base for Pocket PC 2000, later renamed Windows Mobile in 2003, becoming the most common operating system for smartphones in the U.S. in 2007.

Image source: Windows Mobile

Windows Mobile

iPhone OS (Later iOS)

2007

Apple introduced the iPhone in 2007, running the iPhone OS (later renamed iOS), based on the Unix-like Darwin operating system.

Android

2008

Android, introduced in 2008, is a mobile operating system based on a modified Linux kernel, developed by Google and widely used on smartphones and tablets.

Image source: Android (operating system)

Android

Windows Phone

2010

Microsoft re-entered the mobile operating system market with Windows Phone in 2010, which was later replaced by Windows 10 Mobile in 2015.

Modern Operating Systems

Mac OS X transition to Intel processors

2005

In 2005, Apple transitioned its Mac computers to Intel processors, aligning their hardware architecture with the x86 platform while retaining PowerPC support until 2009.

Key Facts

  1. The first operating system, GM-NAA I/O, was developed in 1956 by General Motors and North American Aviation for the IBM 704.
  2. UNIX, developed by Bell Labs in the 1970s, is widely considered one of the most influential operating systems.
  3. Microsoft released MS-DOS in 1981, which became the dominant operating system for personal computers in the 1980s.
  4. The development of graphical user interfaces (GUI) revolutionized the user experience, with Macintosh OS and Windows 95 leading the way.
  5. Linux, an open-source operating system, gained popularity in the late 1990s and continues to be widely used today.

Source

This History of Operating Systems timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.

We work hard to keep these timelines accurate, but mistakes do get through. If you spot one, email us at [email protected] and we'll fix it for future visitors.

Want a timeline like this one?

Generate yours with AI or build it from scratch, for free.

Try It for Free