Trolltech Partners with VirtualLogix to Bring Linux to Mass Market Phones

To speed the entry of Linux into the mobile phone mass market, Trolltech and VirtualLogix have partnered to integrate Trolltech's Qtopia platform for Linux handsets and VirtualLogix's VLX software on a single-core processor. The new product will be showcased at the 3GSM congress.

The demonstration will show VirtualLogix's VLX real-time virtualization software integrated with Trolltech's Qtopia platform on a single ARM9 processor core. By running Qtopia and its Linux host, together with the radio modem stack and its RTOS host, on a single core within a mobile phone form factor, the companies demonstrate that Linux can be quickly introduced into low-cost, high volume feature phones.

To date, the cost of dual-core processors has limited handset manufacturers' ability to ship Linux-based mass market feature phones. Nomura Equity Research estimates that Linux on feature phones will claim 12% of the overall feature phone market by 2009. To date, more than 5 million mobile phones have been shipped in the market running Linux with Qtopia. Now, with a single-core processor, the mass market feature phone is the next ideal segment for the Linux operating system.

The Trolltech/VirtualLogix solution helps reduce the cost of materials for handset manufacturers while still enabling data and rich multimedia applications by eliminating the need for separated application and modem subsystems. A single-core processor solution is expected to be attractive to telecom carriers who are looking to bring lower cost, full-featured mobile devices to their customers.

"Bringing Linux and Qtopia into mobile handsets can be a competitive weapon for OEMs to leverage the open, fast developing Linux ecosystem and deliver rich functionality to the market," said Mark Milligan, vice president of marketing at VirtualLogix. "VirtualLogix VLX speeds the inclusion of Linux on lower cost platforms while providing increased security and reliability."