Two Of Three New Motorola Smartphones Are Linux Based

[Kris Kumar]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20040820A7030.html' target='_blank'>http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20040820A7030.html</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Motorola introduced a lineup of smartphone models for the second half – the A768i and A780 with Motorola’s new Linux smartphone OS and the MPx220 – in Japan yesterday. The three models will be launched in the second half of this year. The embedded Linux OS for Motorola’s smartphones is currently being developed at the company’s Personal Communication Sector (PCS) in Beijing, China. The company has plans to expand its offerings of Linux-based smartphones in the future, according to sources at the company."</i><br /><br />Motorola doesn't believe in putting all its eggs in one basket. When it comes to Smartphones it has models based on Windows Mobile, <a href="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6025">Linux</a> and <a href="http://www.windowsfordevices.com/news/NS4584629852.html">Windows CE</a>. It does prove beyond doubt that Motorola is serious about becoming a major player in the Smartphone market. Also the company must innovate if it has to maintain its <a href="www.forbes.com/home_asia/feeds/ap/2004/08/16/ap1505758.html">position</a> in the market. However, this news article reminds me of the earlier suspicions that people had regarding Motorola's commitment to the Microsoft Smartphone platform. That Motorola is going to make Windows Mobile Smartphones till its own proprietary Linux based Smartphone OS is solid and ready for prime time. What are your thoughts?

[rbrome]

It's important to understand the different divisions within Motorola. Each operates with a high degree of independence.

The PCS group (Personal Communications Sector) is the main cell-phone division. They produce phones like the V710, V600, V3, and E398. They also produce Linux smartphones. They use their own iTAP predictive text entry tech instead of T9 like everyone else. They focus on regular consumer phones. They do a lot of manufacturing in-house, but outsource some, too, especially with models for Asia.

The iDEN group produces the Nextel phones. They use T9 instead of Motorola's own iTAP for predicitive text. They increasingly outsource to companies like HTC.

The MotoPRO group produces phones and devices for the enterprise market. They use the Windows Mobile platform. They outsource manufacturing to companies like Chi Mei.

There are other groups, of course, including the division that created the new CN620 Wi-Fi / GSM phone, which uses Windows CE (but not Windows Mobile). And still more groups, that focus on things like public safety and digital cable TV systems.

Anyway, my point is that there really isn't a Linux vs. Windows issue here. The MPx series is a "standalone" product line from the MotoPRO group. MotoPRO is Motorola's strategy for the western business market, which makes it distinct from the Linux phones coming from the PCS group.

[TANKERx]

Motorola also has Smartphones using Symbian, but they're 3G and so of no interest to Microsoft.

[Kris Kumar]

Anyway, my point is that there really isn't a Linux vs. Windows issue here. The MPx series is a "standalone" product line from the MotoPRO group. MotoPRO is Motorola's strategy for the western business market, which makes it distinct from the Linux phones coming from the PCS group.

Glad to know that Motorola is not trying to compete or test Microsoft Smartphone platform.

But I wonder, wouldn't the top guys at Motorola want to leverage one OS (at the most two OS). This way they can keep the development costs down. Also the support costs come down. Linux and Windows CE are both powerful and flexible options.

Good to see that each department or division inside Motorola sees that Phones with PDA features are must have in their portfolio. :D That is what Microsoft is preaching or trying to sell. Ready-made software/platform for Phones with PDA features!