Motorola continues to throw its weight behind Linux as an open platform for the lower-cost development of mobile systems software.

According to the handset supplier, in the next few years, up to 60 per cent of its handset portfolio is expected to be based on open-source Linux software.

Motorola is already working with Texas Instruments on the development of Linux and other forms of open-source software to run on their 3G, WiMAX wireless system technologies and mobile devices.

As part of this collaboration Motorola is developing 3G handsets based on TI's OMAP 3 mobile processor architecture, which will be introduced in 2008.

Java ME software stack

Last November, Motorola cranked up the importance of open-source software for mobile phone design by inviting the growing community of Java Micro Edition developers to establish a complete Java ME software stack for the mobile industry, under the Apache Licence 2.0.

Motorola's latest mobile Linux development platform, known as Motomagx, has been used in the design of two handsets, the Motorokr Z6 and the Motorola RAZR2 V8, the company's first Linux-based device for the US market.

"We know that software is just as important as hardware, through the introduction of our Motomagx platform, we are reinforcing our firm commitment to Linux," said Alain Mutricy, senior v-p of platform technology at the Motorola Mobile Devices business.

Motorola is also a founder member, with Samsung and Vodafone, of an industry-wide collaboration gaining credibility as a key promoter of Linux in the mobile sector. Called LiMo, the group now includes Broadcom, Ericsson, ARM and NXP.