Linux powered roughly three times the number of smartphones as Windows Mobile, in worldwide shipments during Q1 of 2005, according to an article at LinuxDevices.com. Additionally, the data cited from Gartner research says smartphones comprise the fastest-growing portion of the “mobile terminal” market, with sales expected to double year-over-year in 2006, reaching 200 million by 2008.
Wasn’t there an editorial published on OSNews.com a few months back saying that Linux had missed the boat with regard to smartphones? This article would seem to counter that notion.
http://www.osnews.com/story.php?news_id=10180
Found it…
Ya wouldn’t expect anything less from Eugenia.
Most of the gains for Smartphone Linux were made in China, IIRC.
Indeed. The shipments in the Western countries are close to zero. Hence my editorial back then.
One slightly misleading factor is that Gartner apparently does not include Windows Mobile “Pocket PC Phones” in the smartphone data. Thus, relative market shares of Linux and Windows may actually be closer than the Gartner data suggest.
Even the partisans at LinuxDevices admit reality.
That’s because Pocket PC Phones aren’t smartphones. They are PDAs that have phone capabilities. I’d presume they don’t include Treos in the list either. The things are two significantly different markets.
I’d say they do include Treos (or there would be no Palm participation, which is there, at Microsoft level).
Anyway, I don’t think many people will use PPC phone-enabled PDAs: I’ve occasionally seen them, and they always make people look ridiculous; maybe paired with a Bluetooth headphone they’d be sexier.
I’d say (trying to be impartial and objective) that the smartphone game is all to be played for. And, I think, it’s not a winner-takes-all kind of game, there is room for more than one implementation.
If I order one of those japanese phones will I be able to use it with an american provider..?
Chineses are smarter than americans
First, phones made for the Japanese market will not work in the U.S. or Europe. Different network type from the GSM and CDMA networks used in the US and European markets. I expect some of the models to make it to these markets over the next few years though as 3G becomes more prevalent.
More interesting to me than the smartphone is the PDA Convergence device though. As a business user it gives me more power and utility. Linux has some catching up to do in this market but Windows is not as entrenched as it is on the desktop. Honestly Windows Mobile 2003 SE has a number of issues that I think a properly designed OS should not have. Maybe the just released MS mobile OS resolves some of these issues but I have not seen a model I like that uses it yet. On the other hand the third party developer market for MS mobile is very lively and has put out some outstanding apps. I have rapidly become dependent upon my PDA2K. If a linux alternative came along that gave me replacements for the apps I need though I would switch without a regret in the world.
Kokopelli (Unable to login because I wrote this from my phone.)
Then I will have to wait…
The problem is that after this things reach the US mainland, It takes some time for providers to ship them to the territories (Still don’t know why)
The good thing about linux is that it cannot only be tailored to each company at will with no complicated agreements,
but it has a huge number of applications for it that can be run on PDAs etc when compared to Windows Mobile etc.
Not really. There are a good number of programs that will run on a PDA but not that many that are actually useful. In terms of utility Windows mobile is ahead.
Linux on embedded is ok but not a large target for developers. Look at what is available for the Zaurus and you will see what I mean.
Kokopelli
Anyway, I don’t think many people will use PPC phone-enabled PDAs: I’ve occasionally seen them, and they always make people look ridiculous; maybe paired with a Bluetooth headphone they’d be sexier.
Some of the smaller units like the iMate Jam are not much bigger than a conventional Smart phone . l tend to use either a bluetooth unit or my stereo wired headset. It really depends on what I am doing.
Outside of idealogical reasons is there a reason to choose a linux phone over other options? They are certainly gaining in popularity but the article does not discuss the reasons for the gain or benefits of Linux on the platform.
Kokopelli
Saying that Linux trounces Windows Mobile in the smartphone space is like saying that Creative is trouncing iriver in the MP3 player space. You’re comparing the 2nd and 3rd place getters, who between them are getting absolutely raped by the 1st place getter.
I mean, look at that pie graph. Linux and Windows Mobile are fighting over a thin, thin slice of pie. They’re hardly worth discussing.