Mobile Linux Group LiMo Adds Partners

While debuts of Google's mobile platform Android currently lead the news out of Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, LiMo Foundation, another open source mobile consortium, unveiled the first handsets based on the Linux-based LiMo Platform and revealed nine new members, including Paris-based mobile network operator Orange and Tokyo-based mobile software provider Access Co.

"The reputations of Orange and Access for leadership within the Mobile Linux community are widely recognized, so these companies represent major additions to LiMo Foundation's governing board," LiMo Foundation's executive director Morgan Gillis said in a statement. "Both Orange and Access will make an invaluable contribution to delivering the LiMo Platform as a consistent, open source-based software platform that will benefit the entire mobile industry."

Kiyohito Nagata of NTT DoCoMo, chairperson of LiMo Foundation, said the addition of Access and Orange's large customer bases will bolster the adoption of Linux-based mobile handsets. The addition of Orange as a Founder member and Access as a Core member (Access will also have a seat on the LiMo foundation board) brings the total foundation membership to 32.

AMD, FueTrek, Open-Plug, Renesas Technology, Samsung SDS, SoftBank and STMicroelectronics were also announced as members. "These are companies with proven technologies and large, sophisticated customer bases that will further establish LiMo as a global Linux-based platform while reducing fragmentation in mobile," Nagata said.

The foundation also debuted a series of commercial handsets, including models by Motorola, NEC, Panasonic and Samsung, as well as announcing reference and prototype handsets from LG, Aplix and Purple Labs.

The LiMo Foundation was formally announced at last year's Mobile World Congress. Original founders include Motorola, NEC, NTT DoCoMo, Panasonic Mobile Communications, Samsung Electronics and Vodafone.