Mobile players form (yet another) Linux platform pact

According to Reuters, Vodafone, NTT Docomo, Motorola, Samsung, Nec and Panasonic have decided to team up to develop an open-source Linux-based operating system that could be used in phones by the end of 2007. The announced goal to cut the number of operating platforms on the market is a bit weird as it is yet another move to standardize a version of Linux for mobile - unless they aso collaborate with the LiPS Forum. In any cases, Linux, while somehow popular in Japan, China and Korea, has still very weak market share in the rest of the world as far as mobile is concerned.

"We expect this initiative to speed time to market for new products and also enable us to create more personalized products and applications for consumers," said Vodafone's Global Director of Terminals, Jens Schulte-Bockum.

Lot of work remain to be done to reach the level of Symbian OS or even Windows Mobile. And even if 2007 seems a bit optimistic to have a full open source platform, the name of the players involved should help consider this initiative seriously.