HTC looking for a Linux mobile partner?
By Michael Caputo 
posted Sep 15th 2007 2:35PM
posted Sep 15th 2007 2:35PM
It's hard to deny the success of Windows Mobile especially when almost 12 million phones were sold last fiscal year. A large part of the success is due to stylish handsets from HTC running Microsoft's mobile software. But is HTC looking to expand their mobile offerings and tap into the Linux market? According to Peter Chao, CEO of HTC, "HTC is still paying close attention to the latest developments in Linux technology." One thing HTC is missing if they want to enter the mobile Linux market is a long term partner in the platform, like Microsoft, to help defray the enormous R&D costs of an internet browser, a messaging system, and multimedia playback for the mobile platform.
It's hard to deny the success of Windows Mobile
Oh please, the only reason for this is lack of choice. Until the iphone, in the US it was either Blackberry, Palm or Win Mobile if you needed a smartphone. And since BB and Palm OS are only offered on one manufacture, its easy to see why they (M$) has sold so many units. It funny how I read about how so many people hate Win Mobile in the various phone blogs and boards.
I look forward to Linux and the end of the virtual lock M$ has had on the smart phone market with its crappy product.
I'd love to see S60 or Linux on the Tilt/Kaiser
Really, S60 needs to get on the ball in the US. The N95 is a start, lets see if we can get some more E-Series love.
choice is always good especially when is an alternative to microsoft....
I'm not sure what everyone gripes about. I have a Motorola Q and it works great. I use Outlook 2007 to sync with my exchange server at work. Zero problems since day one. The iPhone is cool and all but let's get real: it's not a business-minded phone. Just because there's no choice doesn't automatically make it an inferior product. Maybe I'm just lucky :)
I'm writing this from my iMac so all comments about fan-boy-ism can >> /dev/null
Now if only HTC would partner with Access. We could get to run Palm proggies on HTC devices :)
You mean like the Treo 600, 650, 700wx, 700p, 680 etc etc?
Haha. Touche. Yeah I mean with more innovative hardware design, and Wifi!
I agree, that would be the best route to go Access.
Well, you know, Google does know a thing or two about Linux!
Do they really have "enormous R&D costs"? I always though the whole appeal of having an (open) Linux phone is that you could just port Firefox and Pidgin, for example, rather than developing an entire new browser and messenger.
Unless they just want a Linux backbone but still a non-free phone. Which would suck.
I agree, Access would be a good OS match. It would be like a Treo, only the hardware would be top notch, and the OS would work...
Wasn't there a thing back where the ubuntu guys were going to start porting linux to mobile devices and cell phones? They've already conquered dell as being the preferred linux provider after no small battle; and in the mobile arena, I'd say they'd have the job if they wanted it.