Linux For Mobile Phones - Part 1
This kicks off a new series of posts about linux on mobile devices. As we explore this topic and track the progress of linux on mobile phones in the world and particularly in Pakistan, I hope that we’ll learn plenty along the way.
I keep hearing about linux for mobile phones and all the great things to expect from these developments. However I’m not sure if linux for mobile devices will meet the same fate as linux for PCs i.e limited penetration but not good enough for the mainstream public. Of course when it comes to servers, linux has done very well so in no way I am doubtful about the powerful impact and the potential. But for mobile devices we are talking about ordinary users who are not interested in a cool technology per se but want a better package of services, without the limitations imposed by today’s phone. Therefore user adoption is key and it will come from a balanced combination of good features, easy-to-use interfaces and cheap, reliable devices. Good luck Tux.
To start off, I am sharing an article from Wireless week, titled Mobile Linux Gets Legs.
A couple of recent analyst reports indicate Mobile Linux is starting to catch on, something also born out by reports that Palm will launch its first smartphone soon running Linux.
News reports have indicated Palm’s Linux phone will launch in October and will use technology developed by Wind River Systems. Wind River built the Linux platform for Palm’s new Foleo. Meanwhile, IMS Research says Mobile Linux will experience a compound annual growth rate of 45% over the next five years.
“The increased focus on Mobile Linux shows the high level of interest from all segments of the cellular handset industry, including manufacturers, network operators and component suppliers,” the research group says. “This is demonstrated pretty clearly by the expanding membership of the LiMo (Linux Mobile) Foundation, an industry group that was established in January of this year with the stated goal of developing a common Linux Platform.”
Founding members of the LiMo Foundation include Motorola, NEC, NTT DoCoMo, Panasonic Mobile Communications, Samsung Electronics and Vodafone.
IMS Research says standardization still is an issue for Linux Mobile, since the Linux Phone Standards (LiPS) Forumrecently came out with its own set of specifications. LiPS includes Trolltech, a la Mobile and VirtualLogix, as well as carriers and manufacturers such as Orange, Telecom Italia, Huawei, Freescale, Texas Instruments and ZTE.
IMS says the goals of the two groups are not necessarily in conflict because the LiMo Foundation is developing a Mobile Linux platform that could conform to the LiPS Forum standard.
In addition, ABI Research says Mobile Linux will be the fastest-growing smartphone OS over the next five years. ABI is more aggressive in its forecast, suggesting an annual growth rate of 75%. By 2012, ABI analyst Stuart Carlaw says Linux will be in about 31% of all smart devices, representing 331 million units.
“Serious initiatives from the likes of Intel and Access are gathering pace and momentum, whilst the carrier community continues to identify Linux as one of the few operating systems that it intends to support in its long-term plans,” Carlaw says. “Linux is benefiting from growing support in the handset OEM community, most notably Motorola, but also Nokia with less traditional types of devices aimed at mobile broadband applications.”
Carlaw says one potential problem he sees is that Microsoft claims to own 235 patents in the Linux area.
Here’s another piece about open source phones.
TelecomPk.Net is a leading source of information and analysis about Pakistan Telecom industry.
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I owned a Moto E680/i once… apart from the fact that the phone became buggy and had to sell it off eventually (probably one of those rare cases though), I was quite happy. It was interesting to note that there was already a community that was making 3rd party custom apps - in spite of the fact that Motorola hadn’t opened up the development kit for the phone (people got other ways to make apps and execute them).
Linux has ALOT (yes, ALOT!!) of potential. I’ve managed to run Doom/Duke Nukem 3d (yes, the 3d games) on the screen, without a keyboard.
It was definitely a good phone. it’s successor, Rokr e8 is out now.. and I think you can do pretty much the same. Try motorolafans.com to see what’s in store (free)
Shaheer, thanks for sharing your experience. It is interesting to see how the big companies are reluctant to allow people to innovate and experiment.
The motorolafans.com site looks really good!
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