Why mobile phones do not widely use Linux?
Since it is a free OS with tonnes of applications, and regularly updated, but why linux could not conquer mobile world?

Erm... Android anyone??

Linux is in the process of "conquering" the mobile world, via Android and others.

Microsoft holds on to its monopoly with money and FUD, but that is becoming less the case every day.

oh, Android is linux?
I do not know.
Nokia teams up with MS, any good future?

You did not know Android is linux? Really?

Yes!! and it is ruling the mobile OS world.

Nokia and M$ are getting together huh? That is how M$ is planning to compete with Apple I guess. Read somewhere that Apple's coming up with Iphone Nano next?

Why are you asking questions about things you know nothing about?? I'd suggest you learn your subject matter before trying to debate it.

Another Linux based phone to watch out for is the HP/Palm ones. I LQ blog posted about them recently if anyone wants to have a look.

I've currently got a Nokia N900 which is an uber Linux phone in my opinion. I'll be looking at the HP ones when it's time to replace it rather than another Nokia though.


<--- Blog here!

Android is using modified linux kernel, not original linux.

So are most linux distros with the exception of Slackware and probably a few others.

And as is this is a "cellphone" question, not a Linux one, it goes to GENERAL.



Cheers,
Tink

Some old Motorola phones like the RoKr Z6 also used to have OSs based on a linux kernel.

Troll-master, troll faster ...

trolling.............screwing

Android uses the Linux kernel, but it's own userland, whereas most desktop "Linux" distributions use the GNU userland, and programs based on that. Maemo and MeeGo, like desktop distributions but in contrast to Android, use much of the GNU userland.

There are thus two sides to the question. Firstly, why is Android popular, and not Maemo/MeeGo? Personally, I think the answer is quite simply Google's marketing and brand image.

Secondly, why did Google choose to not adapt the desktop GNU/Linux userland for Android, instead making their own? The obvious answer is phones are not desktops. By doing things their "own way", Google could make the system the way they wanted, without carrying desktop system "baggage".

There's also what I call a "digital gold rush". A new computer platform, backed by a big name, is able to attract developers like crazy. It happened with Facebook Apps, it happened with the iPhone, and it happened with Android. Everyone wants a piece of the action, and because it's all new, to a first order everyone's on an equal footing, there's no entrenched incumbents, like there are for many types of software on Windows and GNU/Linux. Therefore, Google making Android incompatible with desktop Linux programs may well have been advantageous in attracting developers.

meego is dead?
Nokia kills it,
intel will go alone?