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DoCoMo To Use Linux On Their 3G phones

Posted by timothy on from the darl's-ears-perk-up dept.

ilbrec writes "Looks like NTT DoCoMo will be using Linux on their 3G phones next year. This actually was reported yesterday in Japan (here), but I could not find any article in English until now. While it's not clear who will be making the Linux phone for them, I would certainly be interested in seeing them once they are out. No word on this anywhere at DoCoMo's website at all, however." Reader paku adds links to similar coverage in Forbes and in Japan Today.

11 of 139 comments (clear)

  1. Well, it's an option anyway. by Space+cowboy · · Score: 4, Informative
    Quoth Forbes article

    DoCoMo does not intend to force them to use the Linux-based software and it does not preclude the use of other operating systems including Smartphone software from Microsoft Corp as future OS candidates for its 3G phones, the source said.


    Simon.
    --
    Physicists get Hadrons!
    1. Re:Well, it's an option anyway. by tftp · · Score: 3, Insightful
      The engineers decided on Linux, but the PHBs don't want to take risks (correctly, by the way.) So they, in their usual manner, tell us something while telling us nothing, and not committing to anything.

      But seriously, Linux is great on embedded systems. I am right now working with Arcom's PC/104 board that has XScale CPU on it. I left the board plugged in for several months, and when I checked it was still working fine :-) It's Debian, btw, and takes only 8 MB Flash (other 8 MB are free, and I have larger CompactFlash plugged in as /dev/hda for development).

  2. GPL by h4rm0ny · · Score: 4, Insightful


    How does this work as far as distributing the source code? Is that available for modification and if so is it possible to upload a self-improved OS to the phone?

    Does that open up the possibility of doing clever things or am I being ignorant? If the former then this could be great, if the latter - hey, I only wrote telecommns code for two years, what do you expect?

    --

    Aide-toi, le Ciel t'aidera - Jeanne D'Arc.
  3. Will there ever be a standard? by SexyKellyOsbourne · · Score: 4, Insightful

    We all know Microsoft is trying to be the "standard" for cell-phone operating systems much in the way that they took over almost the entire desktop and workplace market, but will there ever be a Linux standard? I know Symbian is also trying to create a standard for cell phones that already is quite strong in Europe, but there really should be a consortium where Linux developers can get together and set standards, instead of them being scattered across the internet proposing a few ideas.

    If there's going to be standards, they should always be open source and free as in beer. Corporate control of standards only creates monopolies. Even in America, a lot of people are dropping their landlines for cellphones, and if there's ever a Linux standard for it, it should be created quickly before it's too late.

  4. Re:Dude, Symbian rocks the house. by TonkaTown · · Score: 3, Informative

    And also here - Japanese mobile operator to develop user interface and service delivery technologies for 3G handsets using Symbian OS

    The Symbian OS is nice, I've played with one of the Symbian based FOMA phones, and it's very cool indeed.

  5. Re:Reasons for adopting Linux by Trbmxfz · · Score: 3, Interesting

    According to J. W. Breen's Japanese-English dictionary, DoCoMo (dokomo) translates to "everywhere". Now that makes sense.

  6. Probably will be modded a troll, but... by mental_telepathy · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I mean this seriously. Would a good sign of Linux becoming more mainstream be when it's no longer news that a company is using Linux in their products?

  7. Phones and operating systems by Zog+The+Undeniable · · Score: 3, Interesting
    What I don't understand is why anyone needs to cram a whole multi-user, multi-tasking OS onto a small device with only two or three modes of operation (voice phone, Internet and maybe digital camera). None of these devices really need to be upgradeable - most Europeans get a whole new phone every 12-18 months because their network provider allows cheap upgrades - so that can't be the reason.

    Presumably it's cheaper to build additional processor speed and storage into the device, to cope with the overhead of Linux/Windows Embedded, than it is to spend developer time to knock up a custom OS for the limited hardware?

    --
    When I am king, you will be first against the wall.
    1. Re:Phones and operating systems by aug24 · · Score: 3, Insightful
      Cos you can rip out what you don't need and add what you do fairly easily.

      For example, all the userland stuff can go - just cos it'll have a user doesn't mean it needs to use the existing, highly secure multi-user stuff.

      The multi-task stuff may well be of use, as phones are not RTE any more. The chips almost certainly are still, but certainly not the front end.

      Justin.

      --
      You're only jealous cos the little penguins are talking to me.
  8. a few standards to be available... by mm0mm · · Score: 4, Informative

    according to zdnet japan (sorry link in japanese), DoCoMo added Linux as an option for manufacturers to choose from, by setting standardized specs for Linux on 3G. apparently DoCoMo doesn't want to limit choices of OS on 3G. The article says that they have specs (requirement) for Symbian OS available also.

    As Japan's largest provider, DoCoMo's relaxed stance on choice of OS may benefit manufacturers and consumers in a long run. Obviously people at DoCoMo can't care less about the OS that will soon be running inside of every car .

    Freedom of choice is a blessing these days...

  9. O/S not the main consideration by wombatmobile · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Many handset vendors are working with Linux in some way, and some vendors like Motorola are working with all kinds of O/S from Linux through to Symbian and MS.

    But does the O/S really matter if all the phones support Java now anyway? If you're going to write software for open mobile deployment, wouldn't you be inclined to consider Java first since it alone is ubiquitous on phones? O/S generally doesn't count for much in that decision.

    More than that, consider the data formats... Those indespensible new compelling 3G services if they ever eventuate will be all about selling and consuming data. Whose format(s) are service vendors going to use and support and work with? The content is what will be monetized with consumers and the format is what determines the nature of the franchises, like e.g. Office on the desktop.

    Whether the data format is something proprietary like .ppt or .doc or .swf or something open like SVG or XHTML I think is more significant to mobile developers' careers than the O/S.

    Look at the SMS business - the SMS standard can be implemented on any phone O/S and in fact it has been implemented on all of them. That is why SMS has been able to grow to $36b per year today.