Even though the
netbook market is one of the few bright spots in the PC market
and also even the mobile computing sector, its rapid growth will
not necessarily ensure the development of Linux in the mobile arena
despite most netbooks offering Linux as the entry level choice of
operating system.
According to a new report from at advisory and consulting firm
Ovum, Linux vendors need to focus on the netbook as a sub-$200
appliance rather than an alternative to Windows netbooks and
laptops. Ovum believes that Google’s Android, rather than a generic
Linux distribution such as Ubuntu, stands more chance to emerge as
the main platform for the netbook sector.
Ovum sees the
laptop market as becoming increasingly complex, with market
segments catered for by a growing variety of low-cost netbooks and
laptops. Despite a strong start and boosted by the fact that they
offer price advantages over the competition, Linux netbooks, says
Ovum, have now been overtaken by Windows netbooks and Linux is
lagging increasingly behind in terms of sales.
The research firm though sees a
clear opportunity for Linux as an operating system (OS) for
handheld Internet appliances- it cites the Apple iPod Touch -
by building on its strength as a phone OS and on its potential as
sub-$200 netbook OS.
It also predicts the emergence of a new generation of lower
priced but less feature-rich netbooks costing around $200 or less,
manufactured by the likes of Freescale Semiconductor and Asus, that
will be powered by specialised Linux distributions such as
Android.
Commented Laurent Lachal, Ovum’s Open Source Research Director,
“Internet-connected applications (and related online stores) are
key to the success of the netbook appliance/mobile Internet device.
From that perspective, Android benefits from increasing support
from developers/ISVs. Google strengthened its position with the
February 2009 announcement that it will now allow developers to
charge for applications on Android Market. The success of Android
could even lead Android’s Java-based Dalvik runtime to be ported to
other platforms such as Symbian and Windows Mobile.”