ABI: Linux Framework Wars Down to Two Parties
July 2, 2008 // Published as a news service by IHS
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The recent raft of announcements made by the Linux Mobile (LiMo) Foundation and the Open Handset Alliance (OHA) indicate that incumbent smartphone operating system (OS) software vendors will soon face a serious challenge, deriving from two technically competent and coalesced Linux consortia.
According to ABI Research, the LiMo foundation announcement of support from Verizon, as well as growing support for Android from numerous global application developers that are coding innovative applications for the platform, categorically shows these are not a "flash in the pan" as indicated by many incumbents.
"By 2013, we expect that Linux will take 23% of the smartphone market and will be the second most prevalent solution behind Symbian," said ABI Research vice president and research director Stuart Carlaw.
"And although LiMo and Android will take the lion's share of the market for Linux solutions, there will be opportunities for solutions such as Maemo which will be facilitated by the encroachment of the MID (mobile Internet device) form factor into the mobile devices landscape."
Analysts found that Nokia's poor position in the Americas resulted in a 2007 share of only 4% for Symbian in the U.S. smartphone market.
It is imperative that Symbian looks to grow its share of the North American market by gaining more traction from other handset vendors that are performing well there. Otherwise, the company could face a situation where its leadership in the European markets is challenged by a combination of a resurgent Windows and emerging Linux, while simultaneously being locked out of the North American market.
Source: ABI Research.