LiMo Foundation – Open Source Linux For Mobile Phones

by Darren

Open source Linux software has fueled much of the growth of the Internet, and the same sort of concept is afoot in the mobile phone industry with the introduction of the LiMo Foundation, which is described in the following manner:

Motorola, NEC, NTT DoCoMo, Panasonic Mobile Communications, Samsung Electronics, and Vodafone established the LiMo Foundation to develop the Foundation Platform, a Linux-based, open mobile communication device software platform.

A world-class Linux-based platform aims to provide key benefits for the mobile industry including lower development costs, increased flexibility, and a richer mobile ecosystem – all of which contribute to the group’s ultimate objective of creating compelling, differentiated and enhanced consumer experiences.

The Foundation’s purpose is to advance the creation, evolution, promotion, and support of the Foundation Platform and to cultivate an ecosystem of complementary products, capabilities, and services.

Linux for mobile phones will extend the capability to compete with PCs

With a completely open source platform, developers can easily add functionality to mobile phones, greatly extending the usability for end users. As the processing power of mobile phones continues to expand, it’s clear to see the push for mobile phones as the next great operating system/application is already on.

It make sense, too. People are already carrying their phones everywhere they go, and they’ve grown accustomed to using the keyboards to access data. As the underlying software becomes even more powerful, there really will be no difference between the capabilities of a personal desktop computer and a “SmartPhone”.

Licensing opportunities abound

LiMo should excel in the area of licensing opportunities.

n the simplest terms, LiMo will publish specifications that define a common, low-level, Linux-based operating system. It will also distribute test suites that help phone vendors and software developers self-certify their products against the specification. Products demonstrating conformance will be allowed to sport a Foundation trademark logo.

From a legal perspective, it appears that the LiMo Foundation will license its APIs to members on a royalty-free basis, using a “Foundation Public License” (FPL). Of course, the kernel and middleware defined by the Foundation’s specifications will remain under open source licenses such as the GPL.

This is exactly the type of licensing that should help spur entrepreneurial vigor in the industry, and should help to create a number of applications that don’t already exist. The robust nature of Linux for computers should give a glimpse into the type of possibilities that exist for mobile phones. Of course, Windows Mobile and Symbian, now face some tough competitors, which should make life easier for the billions of handset owners out there who crave more functionality than their phones can currently give them.

The LiMo foundation is still developing, but progress is being made. Linux based phones already exist in Asia, and should hit global markets in 2008. At that point you can expect a major increase in the usability of mobile phones.