New Linux phone standards effort in the works

PalmSource, France Telecom’s Orange and several other companies plan on Monday to announce an effort to standardize aspects of Linux running on mobile phones.

The Linux Phone Standard (Lips) Forum wants to standardize Linux interfaces so that higher-level software won’t have to be customized for each variation of the open-source operating system appearing in different cell phone models. If successful, the allies believe they’ll make Linux a better competitor the fast-growing market.

“There’s a need for an alternative to Microsoft and Symbian,” said John Ostrem, a Lips board member, founder of China Mobilesoft and now lead scientist at PalmSource. “We’re interested in reducing fragmentation and introducing a standard Linux platform that will allow people to make Linux phones faster, at lower cost, and with greater interoperability.”

The groups want to define standard software profiles for basic phones initially and for higher-end models eventually. The first profile, designed for basic phones that can place calls and run simple applications, is due in the first quarter of 2006. Certified phones are due in 2007, said Michel Gien, Lips committee member and executive at embedded-software maker Jaluna.

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