Next Monday coincides with the start of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and Navicron, a technology provider for smart wireless devices, will issue a press release based on "overwhelming evidence" that Linux is gaining significant traction in the mobile and embedded markets.
The press release, which appears after the jump, cites trends such as the adoption of Linux by Chinese device manufacturers, the impending purchase of Trolltech by Nokia and the announcement of the Google Android that prove that Linux is the clear winner for mobile applications. Navicron CEO Matti Kattilakoski states it thusly:
“The recent announcements by global players such as Nokia and Google points to a clear direction of open-source development that gives Linux immense traction,” said Matti Kattilakoski, chairman of the board, Navicron. “It is our view that when evaluating prospects for the growth of Linux, the compelling benefits of open-source software can not be ignored.”
“Only Linux offers the combination of modular extensibility, robustness and low overhead that is needed to meet the consumer demands of more functionality on cheaper and smaller mobile handsets,” added Kattilakoski. “Proprietary solutions have been proven to be problematic. As more and more corporations and government bodies adopt policies favoring open source solutions, it is spilling into the cellular market and Linux is emerging as the front runner.”
While Navicron may have some vested interest in pronouncing Linux the top mobile platform there is no doubt that it is clearly moving and shaking the handset market today. This position will only get more entrenched as a lot of these initiatives get underway the year.
Nokia’s pending acquisition of Linux developer Trolltech and Google’s entry with Linux-based Android provide strong prospects for growth of Linux adoption
DALLAS, Texas, — February 11, 2008 — Surveying the landscape prior to the Mobile World Congress February 11-14 in Barcelona, Navicron, a technology provider for smart wireless devices, today pointed to overwhelming evidence that Linux is gaining significant traction in the mobile and embedded markets.
“The recent announcements by global players such as Nokia and Google points to a clear direction of open-source development that gives Linux immense traction,” said Matti Kattilakoski, chairman of the board, Navicron. “It is our view that when evaluating prospects for the growth of Linux, the compelling benefits of open-source software can not be ignored.”
In July 2005, Google acquired Android Inc., a small startup company based in Palo Alto, CA. On November 5, 2007 the Android platform was announced with the founding of the Open Handset Alliance, a consortium of 34 hardware, software and telecom companies devoted to advancing open standards for mobile devices. Android is a mobile phone platform based on the Linux operating system and developed by the Open Handset Alliance. On January 28, Finnish mobile phone giant Nokia announced that it is acquiring Norwegian open source software vendor Trolltech.
Navicron maintains that the combination of these announcements by major global companies combined with the already prolific use of Linux as a mobile OS in China, translates into a clear outlook of rapid growth in the mobile and embedded markets as Linux-based phones and products emerge and gain popularity.
“As mobile handsets rapidly morph into a powerful hand-held computer, there is a clear need for innovation and choice in applications,” said Andrew Seybold, Principal, Andrew Seybold Inc. “Linux-with its free licensing, ready malleability and broad application support is particularly well-suited for hosting applications in mobile networking environments.”
Initially, cellular phones did not use a traditional operating system. Their firmware was in machine language and tied to each specific platform. As cellular phones continued to evolve and blend with mobile PC functions, the need for standard operating systems as a portal for applications across many devices became critical.
“Only Linux offers the combination of modular extensibility, robustness and low overhead that is needed to meet the consumer demands of more functionality on cheaper and smaller mobile handsets,” added Kattilakoski. “Proprietary solutions have been proven to be problematic. As more and more corporations and government bodies adopt policies favoring open source solutions, it is spilling into the cellular market and Linux is emerging as the front runner.”
About Navicron
Navicron is a privately held technology company founded in 2004, established for the development of wireless technology. The company has completed major projects for several large telecommunications companies and has illustrated its versatility where its wireless expertise has been applied in the medical and sports technology sectors. Navicron’s qualified team of experts has strong wireless engineering competence in the areas of hardware, software, RF, testing, type approvals and project management in the field. Navicron’s headquarters and R&D are located in Oulu, Finland and its sales and marketing operations are based in Dallas, Texas. For more information please visit http://www.navicron.com.
Comments have been disabled for this post