Linux Mobile Phone Platform Launched

OpenMoko says that it is launching a Linux based, open-source handset platform, in partnership with FIC. The announcement of the OpenMoko mobile communications platform coincides with the unveiling of FIC's Neo1973 smartphone, which utilizes the full OpenMoko platform and will be available in January 2007. OpenMoko says that it will offer common storage models and libraries for application developers.

"For the first time, the mobile ecosystem will be as open as the PC, and mobile applications equally as diverse and more easily accessible," said Sean Moss-Pultz, architect of OpenMoko and Product Manager of FIC's Mobile Communication Business Unit. "Ringtones are already a multi-billion dollar market. We think downloading mobile applications on an open platform will be even bigger.

The OpenMoko platform is based on OpenEmbedded. "This gives end-users access to literally thousands of existing open source applications from the OpenZaurus, Familiar Linux, and

Posted to the site on 9th November 2006