Strong growth for Linux handsets

Boston, USA: Mobile Linux is well poised to take on the surging smartphone market according to "Mobile Linux: Google and Motorola Hold the Short-Term Keys to Success," from the Strategy Analytics Handset Component Technologies Service.

Mobile Linux offers an attractive package in terms of customization, cost, developer community, time to market, security and multi chipset support to handset manufacturers and mobile operators, according to industry analysts Strategy Analytics. This report evaluates the current status of the mobile Linux market and assesses the impact of recent initiatives by industry players in the mobile Linux arena.

"Unlike the desktop PC industry there are more than 30 operating systems existing today in the mobile phone industry, over 20 of which are Linux-based," comments Sravan Kundojjala, Analyst at Strategy Analytics. "This has been a concern for the industry, but recent moves suggest consolidation is in the cards."

Stuart Robinson, Director of the Handset Component Technologies service, adds, "Strategy Analytics believes recent initiatives by Google and Motorola could solve problems like consistency of APIs, slow adoption of mobile Linux in developed markets and fragmentation. We also believe that interest in Linux is at an all-time high and that it will emerge as a worthy competitor to market leaders Symbian and Windows Mobile."