The cloudy future of mobile Linux

Review posted December 15th, 2006 by eric
Platforms:

Computeworld writes:

Linux has been mentioned as a potentially leading platform for mobile devices for as long as there have been mobile devices. However, mobile Linux is still largely missing in action .The new crop of high-visibility smart phones such as the Samsung BlackJack, the Nokia E62 and the Treo 680 are based on Microsoft's Windows Mobile, the Symbian and the aging Palm OS platforms.

So why are some in the mobile industry saying, once again, that Linux is on the brink of becoming a significant platform for advanced mobile devices such as smart phones? And why should anybody but industry insiders and geeks care?

"Linux has had peaks and troughs in the mobile industry, but it's looking quite positive at the moment," said Matt Lewis, research director at ARCchart Ltd. The market research company recently issued a report entitled "Linux: The New OS Celebrity."

One reason for that optimism, according to mobile Linux proponents, is that this is an area in which Microsoft doesn't dominate, despite its best efforts. The reputed lower cost of Linux and its success in the corporate server market also encourage its supporters.

Perhaps most important, however, is that Motorola, the second-largest mobile-phone vendor in the world, has thrown its support behind the operating system, saying recently that it expects more than half of its phone models to be based on Linux by the end of 2008.

...

You can read the full 3 pages article on Computerworld web site. It is almost 5 year than Linux is to be the next "hot thing" in mobile area. Still counting.

While the OS is quite popular in the Far East, it is still marginally represented in Europe. I am not aware of a real succesfull open phone based on Linux yet in the market here:
-  Nokia Maemo platform (ok, not really for smartphone) is nice to use for a geek but not yet to really usable for entry level user.
-  Trolltech had to solve legal issues with its Greenphone and has stopped selling it for now
-  I won't bet on the fact that Motorola will have more than 50% percent of its phone based on Linux in 2008.
-  and still waiting for the Access SDK and Palm devices.

Linux is definitely a potential champion but had not yet find its road to market. And if, from a developer point of view, it is a lot more user friendly than Symbian OS, it looks like this is not the case from a global system design point of view.


The cloudy future of mobile Linux

On December 15th, 2006 Anonymous said:

Checkout openmoko. Will be available in January 2007 and looks promising

http://www.openmoko.com/press/index.html http://lists.openmoko.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/community

The cloudy future of mobile Linux

On December 23rd, 2006 Anonymous said:
Greenphone has been cancelled too... only a few initial orders shipped and then the majority of the orders were cancelled due to IPR and licensing issues.

The cloudy future of mobile Linux

On December 28th, 2006 eric said:
You are right.... but the phone has not been totally cancelled and it is just available for shipment right now.

The cloudy future of mobile Linux

On January 7th, 2007 Wellu (not verified) said:
I've been using Maemo platform (aka. Nokia 770) quite extensively and I don't agree that you need to be a geek of any kind to use it. Yes, you *can* hack it but that does not mean that you *have* to hack it. Joe or Jill the Average don't even realize (nor care) that it is based on Linux.

The cloudy future of mobile Linux

On February 11th, 2007 mlupg (not verified) said:
I agree. My three year old daughter is using it without any assistance for drawing with the preinstalled scetching application. She also plays certain preinstalled games and simple games in internet with the browser. Its not that hard. Pen UI seems to be suitable for youngsters.