Mobile Phones & Ringtones

PalmOS on Linux via China MobileSoft

December 8th, 2004

There has been a lot of discussions going around the net on PalmSource’s acquisition of China MobileSoft and its Linux strategy. I think it is a good move on PalmSource’s side to extend their OS’s shelf-life. However I frankly still don’t understand how this could save PalmOS. I would be more optimistic if today’s news was also accomplished by endorsement from at least one of the major handset makers. Just look at the mobile phone OS landscape, Nokia and Sony Ericsson is committed to Symbian; Motorola, Samsung are leaning towards MS Smartphone OS. PalmOS does not have much chance in this market if it can’t signup major handset maker. Maybe such Chinese firms as ZTE, Konka etc are still up for grab. PalmSource better do it quickly.

The winner in this aquisition is clearly China MobileSoft. Valued at $25m, it is a sizeable transaction for a young software company in China by any standard. I am sure their employees, especially those execs, are pretty happy:-)

As for China MobileSoft, it does have an extensive portfolio of mobile software products. To quote from their website, they developed “numerous mobile games”. I wonder how their expertise in this arena will be leveraged within PalmSource, which promised to not “prey” on application developer.

Links: An open letter from PalmSource to the Linux community

Entry Filed under: Gadgets,Technology