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Intel and Nokia join forces for open source

By Sean Michael Kerner on June 23, 2009 12:43 PM

From the 'great minds think alike' files:

Nokia and Intel have announced a new strategic partnership for mobile development. This is big news for open source, since both Intel and Nokia rely on Linux (and open source) for their respective mobile platforms.

Intel has Moblin, Nokia has Maemo -- both are Linux based mobile operating systems. Now the two efforts will benefit from a co-ordinated joint effort on some key open source mobile applications including : oFono, ConnMan, Mozilla, X.Org, BlueZ, D-BUS, Tracker, GStreamer and PulseAudio.

"Collectively, these technologies will provide an open source standards-based means to deliver a wealth of mobile Internet and communication experiences, with rich graphics and multimedia capabilities," Intel stated in a press release. "Enabling common technologies across the Moblin and Maemo software environments will help foster the development of compatible applications for these devices, building on the huge number of off the shelf PC compatible applications."

Additionally Intel is now set to license Nokia's HSPA/3G modem technologies which will add new mobile connectivity capabilities to Intel's solutions.

In my opinion, from an open source perspective this new mobile partnership is a good thing.

It means that instead of working at cross-purposes, Intel and Nokia will collaborate on some of the projects that they both already use and benefit from.

It also could well be seen as a competitive alternative (in time) to Google's Android, RIM Blackberry and Apple's iPhone -- though at this stage Maemo is not something that Nokia uses in its phones where Symbian still dominates (Maemo is in Nokia's Internet tablet devices).

Motorola, with its semi-conductor partner Freescale is also a key competitor to Nokia and Intel in many respects. Yet it's important to note that Motorola is a heavy user of Linux as well -- being the lead backer for the LiMO Foundation.

So in the final analysis, it's likely the mobile Linux and open source communities as a whole will continue to benefit as organizations come together and partner on Linux and open source technologies.

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