LiPS and OMA Shake Hands for Mobile Linux

The Linux Phone Standards (LiPS) Forum and the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) have just partnered for making mobile Linux available on an increasing number of handsets. The market is developing towards this exact tendency, so an extra push should come as a great impulse.

The popularity that mobile Linux working platform has reached in the cellular world is no longer a shock. In this context, the formal liaison and framework for cooperation between OMA and LiPS should help standardize next-generation mobile services.

"LiPS working groups look to OMA for guidance in integrating OMA specifications into LiPS standards", said Haila Wang, president of the LiPS Forum. Moreover, "Through the LiPS-OMA liaison, the organizations have created an efficient channel for even closer communication and cooperation", Haila Wang further added.

As a result of the agreement, LiPS will integrate the development of its standard specifications within those of OMA. This should lead to more coherence in the developments that will come from the two companies in the future and help mobile Linux hit the market at a greater intensity. Moreover, it should increase interoperability among Linux-based phones and between handsets and devices built on other software platforms.

Because of this, future versions of the LiPS 1.0 specification will also include application program interfaces capable of developing middleware services that use the OMA specifications. This includes some of the most important aspects of handset-user interaction, such as cellular management, data synchronization, instant messaging, MMS and browsing.

The number of mobile phones choosing Linux over all other operating systems has taken a great leap over the past period, with high chances of reaching almost a third of the total smartphone market by the year 2012. Some of the most powerful handsets have chosen this solution especially due to its great customization possibility.