Mobile Linux initiative aims to grab phone market share

By Steve Malone

Posted on 18 Oct 2005 at 10:44

The Open Source Development Labs (OSDL) is to set up a Mobile Linux Initiative to further the development of the operating system in the rapidly growing market for handheld and mobile devices.

Linux already has a toehold in the mobile market but it is overshadowed by the giants in the industry such as Symbian, Windows and BlackBerry. The OSDL says it is setting up the group in response to members' requests for a version of the open source OS to increase its presence.

The organisation also points to research that says worldwide mobile phone sales grew 31 percent in 2004 and that more than 2.8 billion phones are expected to be in use by 2009. The great majority of the growth over the next few years will be in emerging economies where consumers will be looking for affordable devices.

Members of the MLI working group will be looking to address operating system technical challenges, foster development of applications for Linux-based mobile devices, deliver requirements definition documents and host complementary open source projects.

Among the companies who have already signed up for the programme are MontaVista Software, Motorola, PalmSource, Trolltech, and Wind River.

More about the initiative at the OSDL web site.