Wireless giants point Linux at the mobile mainstream

Tony Cripps, Senior Analyst

Handset manufacturers Motorola, Samsung, NEC and Panasonic have joined forces with mobile operators Vodafone and NTT DoCoMo to create a consistent Linux-based platform for mobile handsets.

The initiative, which will be governed through an independent, not-for-profit (and as-yet-unnamed) foundation, seeks to develop and market a consistent set of mobile Linux application programming interfaces (APIs).

It also aims to build a coherent ecosystem, including a first reference implementation for manufacturers and developer tools, around the technology. This is intended to attract developers, ISVs and chipset manufacturers, as well as other OEMs and operators. The first handsets based on the new specification are targeted for introduction in H2 2007.

Linux's prospects of making a real impression on the mobile telecoms industry have previously been hindered by the inability of its supporters to offer a consistent, natively-programmable platform for developers and service providers to target. Some efforts at achieving consistency in Linux handsets have been apparent, notably the efforts by NTT DoCoMo and handset partners Panasonic and NEC in Japan, and Motorola in the rest of the world. But these have concentrated more on improving Linux's scalability across a range of handsets than on making it an attractive application platform for developers.

Fragmentation at the application layer has been the rule, and the incentive to build a coherent developer ecosystem has been missing. As such, Linux handsets have remained effectively 'closed' to third-party developers - except where courted directly by manufacturers or their operator customers. It has not been possible to compare them directly with genuinely "open" mobile platforms such as Microsoft's Windows Mobile and Nokia's Symbian-based S60. If the new group gets its sums right, that should now start to change.

For consumers, the significance of a standardised Linux implementation will only be felt once handsets using the software reach critical mass. At that point they may actively seek out Linux handsets as a means to gain access to innovative new services, although they will probably not be aware that it is Linux that they are demanding.

What is less clear about the new initiative is the technology basis on which its Linux platform is founded. The majority of mobile Linux efforts so far have used MontaVista Linux for kernels and core services. The open source nature of MontaVista's developments means it makes sense that it will continue to find favour.

With heavy hitters such as Vodafone, Motorola, Samsung and DoCoMo (in particular) backing this initiative, it has to be taken seriously. It may also begin to test manufacturer loyalty to commercial handset software platform players such as Microsoft and Symbian once the first devices come on stream. Nonetheless, considerable challenges remain. Spokespeople for the group said the legal aspects surrounding the technology licensing are not yet settled. What is open source and what is not has not yet been decided. Nor are certification and application testing procedures yet firm. These are not trivial matters and as such Microsoft, Symbian, Nokia and others will not be panicking just yet. But they will be looking over their shoulders.

Tony's coverage area at Ovum is the software infrastructure that supports mobile operators' data service offerings to end-users. This encompasses mobile operating systems and applications, back-end systems such as content and service delivery platforms, and systems and device management.