The Rise of Open Source Mobile OS

May 13, 2013

Randy NunezMobile Monday Detroit

The Mobile OS Battle Has Been Won

• Android and iOS hold 90+% market share• Microsoft (Windows Phone) and BlackBerry

(BB10) are battling for their share• Symbian, webOS, Meego, and bada have

faded into the sunset…

Or has it??????????? 

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Suddenly…Open Source Mobile OS Platforms Appear

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Firefox OS• Developed by Mozilla• Linux-based OS• HTML 5 applications can

communicate directly with hardware through JavaScript and web APIs

• Focused on ‘open standards’• Support from OEMs like

Sony, Huawei, LG, and ZTE and carriers such as Sprint, T-Mobile, and Telefonica

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Keon and Peak launched by Spanish startup Geeksphone

Sailfish• Developed by Jolla• Linux-based derived from MeeGo

OS (Nokia)• Home screen of ‘live tiles’ (like

Windows Phone)• Multi-tasking w/o jumping out of

apps• Can run Android-based apps• First phone planned May 2013  

5

Ubuntu Touch

• Developed by Canonical• Mobile version of popular

Linux-based PC OS• Docked to a screen and

keyboard, it becomes a desktop PC

• Can be installed on several Nexus Android devices

• First handset targeted for end of 2013

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Tizen• From Samsung Linux Platform

(SLP) delivered within LiMo• Uses web technologies for app

development• Backed by Samsung, Intel, Fujitsu,

and Huawei• Devices scheduled for 3Q13

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Why?

Emerging markets• China – 80% of users are still on

2G (upsell smartphone with 3G service)

• India – Smartphones only 10%

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Why?

Still lots of feature phones/cell phones

• Although smartphones have finally surpassed cell phones worldwide (IDC), there are still lots of them

• Some are targeting the underserved low-end market

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Why?

OEM dependency on Android• OEMs don’t have many alternatives if

Google gets more restrictive or starts charging for Android

• Those depended on Android are beholden to the direction of the Google eco-system

• Motorola – will they become most favored hardware?

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Which Will Succeed?

Only time will tell…

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FIN

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