Linux is fastest growing smartphone OS

Linux is expected to be the fastest growing smartphone operating system over the next 5 years, with a compound annual growth rate in excess of 75 per cent, according to industry analysts.

By 2012, the Linux OS is forecast to account for nearly 31 per cent of all smart devices in the market, representing more than 331 million cumulative shipments, according to ABI Research.

“Serious initiatives from the likes of Intel and Access are gathering pace and momentum, whilst the carrier community continues to identify Linux as one of the few operating systems that it intends to support in its long term plans,” said ABI Research director Stuart Carlaw.

Linux is presently benefiting from growing support in the handset vendor community, most notably Motorola but also Nokia.

However, widespread fragmentation has plagued the mobile Linux market and continues to be a concern, Carlaw notes. However, the recent patent infringement assertions from Microsoft that Linux, in its generic form, infringes upon 235 of its patents, is an ongoing concern, while the jury is still out as to the validity of this claim.

Meanwhile, Symbian continues to boost its lead in the smartphone space. On Tuesday, the operating system firm reported that Symbian device shipments for the second quarter jumped 52 per cent year on year from 12.3 million to 18.7 million.