Linux Smartphone Shipments up 49 Percent

“Despite the widely reported sales shortfalls of Motorola, which
recently announced plans to ditch its aging in-house MotoMAGX Linux
implementation in favor of Android, the company made some modest
gains with its smartphones. Its 12.4 percent year-on-year increase
has it “holding onto fourth place in smart phones thanks largely to
its Linux-based models,” according to Canalys. The A1600 smartphone
(pictured at top) shipped at the start of the third quarter in the
U.S., having shipped earlier in Asia, and likely contributed to
Mot’s relatively strong numbers.

“Motorola’s modest improvements are reflected in major gains for
the mobile OS it still dominates: Linux. Growing from a 4.4 percent
share to a 5.1 percent share compared to 3Q 2007, Linux has now
bridged the two million mark in quarterly shipments, representing
49 percent growth year-on-year, says Canalys. The estimate goes
counter to Gartner’s report on 2Q smartphone sales, where it
reported Linux losing share. Other vendors, including ABI Research,
have also noted gains by mobile Linux.”

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