With Motorola now pushing Linux for mobile platforms, sources in the handset market estimate that Linux-based handsets will top 10 million units in 2007 and the platform will account for 10% of the overall smartphone market for the year.
During the still ongoing LinuxWorld Conference & Expo 2007 (Aug 6-9) held in San Francisco, Motorola said the company had already shipped 9 million Linux-based handsets worldwide. In the next few years, nearly 60% of Motorola's handsets will adopt the Linux platform. The company on August 8 announced Motomagx, its next generation mobile Linux platform.
According to a survey from Canalys, Linux systems accounted for less than 6% of smartphones shipped globally in 2006, trailing after Symbian's 67% share and Microsoft's share of 14%. RIM (Research in Motion) had about a 7% share last year.
Motorola accounted for around 90% of overall Linux-based handsets shipped in 2006. Other Linux handset providers include Panasonic, NEC and Samsung Electronics, Canalys pointed out.
Motorola's R&D center for the development of Linux handsets is based in Beijing and the company is targeting Greater China and Asia markets for the sale of Linux-based handset. The company has also begun to expand its R&D team for Linux development outside of Beijing.
Article translated by Emily Chuang and edited by Ricky Morris
