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Linux set to overtake Symbian by 2010 says Trolltech

By: , IntoMobile
Friday, December 1st, 2006 at 1:56 AM

But Trolltech, which specialises in software that runs on embedded Linux devices, is convinced that by 2010 mobile Linux will overtake Symbian in the mobile OS market, with Windows Mobile also expected to show strong growth.

The company pointed out that mobile Linux already accounted for 22% of all smart phones in 2005, up from just 5% in 2004, while Symbian’s share slipped from 81% in the same period.

Trolltech acknowledged that the majority of Linux devices are currently sold in the Asian markets, particularly in Japan and China, while Europe has yet to really latch onto the OS not least because of Nokia’s support for Symbian. In addition, Linux phones makers are still dealing with issues such as power management, memory and speed.

But the Oslo-based company believes that the open nature of Linux will attract increasing numbers of handset makers and developers, and quoted Motorola as saying that more than 50% of its handsets would be based on mobile Linux in the next two years.

Source: TMC Net

You know if I had to live with a mobile that contained the same operating system as my friends Motorola RAZR I would go batshit insane. Period. I’ll have to play with this Linux OS for phones before I can truely comment on it, but if Motorola really said that then one has to ask … what’s so good about this Linux mobile platform?

Nokia is already testing Linux out, just look at the 770. I wonder if they too plan to move to Linux, but then I have to ask … what about Symbian? What I’m REALLY curious to see is what ALP (Access Linux Platform) does with their recent purchase of the Palm OS. Frankly the best mobile OS I’ve ever used is Palm. If you took the stability, and multitasking capability of Symbian mated it to the ease of use of Palm you would have a genuine winner on your hands.

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About The Author

Stefan Constantinescu

Stefan Constantinescu (@WhatTheBit on Twitter) has loved technology since as far back as he can remember. It started with computers, but in the past few years his passion has turned to mobile devices. As a mobile phone enthusiast who lives and breathes devices that connect to the internet, he knows he is not alone with this radical fascination of all things wireless. He is strongly opinionated and enjoys a good debate so leave comments in his posts and he’ll get back to you! Stefan began blogging as a hobby in the fall of 2006 and joined IntoMobile in the summer of 2007. Later he got a job at Nokia in March 2008, but as of June 2009 he has rejoined the IntoMobile team. He is currently based out of Helsinki, Finland.

  • mopex

    I hope this predictions would be true.

  • Lucian Luncan

    “You know if I had to live with a mobile that contained the same operating system as my friends Motorola RAZR I would go batshit insane.”

    I don’t see how this has anything to do with mobile linux, considering RAZR uses the motorola proprietary “P2K” OS(new razr line will probably include linux though).

  • Stefan Constantinescu

    What I’m saying is anything is better than that OS, and there is a reason Motorola is switching to Linux. That reason must be either a better user experience or reduced cost.

  • Stefan Constantinescu

    mopex: we will just have to wait and see

  • Stefan Constantinescu

    Very interesting articles indeed, all I have to those pieces is I guess we just have to wait and see what happens and what gets released by both parties. Personally I’m not into the stylus method for a user interface, as a data input device it’s fine. Don’t let that confuse you tho, I love to touch.

    I know that you can touch the screens of Treo’s but the OS really was built around the notion that you use that blasted pen instrument. This is why I’m highly interested in the Nokia Internet Tablet, as well as tablet PC’s in general.

    After having my E61 however, I can tell you this, I won’t be buying another smartphone unless it has wifi.