Could A New Linux Base For Tablets/Smartphones Succeed In 2017?

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Could A New Linux Base For Tablets/Smartphones Succeed In 2017?

Over the years we have seen many mobile/smartphone focused Linux efforts come and go from OpenMoko, Moblin/MeeGo, webOS, Firefox OS, and most recently Ubuntu Touch while others like Sailfish OS and Plasma Mobile appear to be somewhat stagnate or at least not gaining much marketshare nor advancing rapidly. But what if more of these mobile Linux efforts were to collaborate on a common base? There's a new effort being worked on in this area...

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=New-Mobile-Linux-Base

[RussianNeuroMancer]

They would standardize on the Linux kernel build, Android HAL, libhybris for Android driver support, and centering on a standard set of user-space components like PulseAudio, oFono, and others.

Hopefully they will work with Gnome too, because right now Gnome Shell is only DE that is usable on x86 tablets (while it's usable, it's need a lot of love too: https://wiki.gnome.org/Design/OS/Touchscreen) and I think Gnome can only win from standardisation and serious discussion among Gnome developers about current tablet issues.

[duby229]

The key is still in standardized package management, imo. I say let distro's do whatever the hell they want to do, but adhere to a standardized filesystem layout, as most already do, and a common application delivery system.....

[Morbis55]

Will they support android apks? I think this is key for the success of a android competitor.
Doesn't matter how its done but it needs to be possible in some way.

Otherwise this will be a lim(x->0) market

[boxie]

The key is still in standardized package management, imo. I say let distro's do whatever the hell they want to do, but adhere to a standardized filesystem layout, as most already do, and a common application delivery system.....

I see an opportunity here for canonical with their snaps for package delivery.

[bug77]

I would have to say no.
It's not clear what "succeed" means, but the market has already sent a strong signal it doesn't need yet another mobile OS.
Windows Phone 7 (and later) were generally reviewed favourably and still tanked. Joola is supposed to be pretty good and still going nowhere.
So what's the proposition here? Common platform? That's what AOSP is supposed to be. Don't like Google's approach of closing as much as possible? There's intel's Yoctos project. But neither has yielded any groundbreaking mobile OS so far.

For a new mobile OS to succeed, it needs to do two (and only two) things:
1. Enable users to do something no other mobile OS can do.
2. Convince hardware manufacturers to write drivers for the new OS.
Sadly, neither is a task an open source team can see through. Maybe if they get lucky the can solve #1, but no way they can approach #2.

[shmerl]

Isn't Mer already doing this? Why re-invent the wheel?

[starshipeleven]

For a new mobile OS to succeed, it needs to do two (and only two) things:
1. Enable users to do something no other mobile OS can do.
2. Convince hardware manufacturers to write drivers for the new OS.
Sadly, neither is a task an open source team can see through. Maybe if they get lucky the can solve #1, but no way they can approach #2.

Actually, it's the reverse. Unless I'm totally mistaken, the base is still a Linux kernel for Android so the drivers are out already.

What is wildly unlikely is that this OS can get any traction in the mainstream market, but I'd be very happy if this becomes a Linux-Desktop-Of-Mobile.

[duby229]

I would have to say no.
It's not clear what "succeed" means, but the market has already sent a strong signal it doesn't need yet another mobile OS.
Windows Phone 7 (and later) were generally reviewed favourably and still tanked. Joola is supposed to be pretty good and still going nowhere.
So what's the proposition here? Common platform? That's what AOSP is supposed to be. Don't like Google's approach of closing as much as possible? There's intel's Yoctos project. But neither has yielded any groundbreaking mobile OS so far.

For a new mobile OS to succeed, it needs to do two (and only two) things:
1. Enable users to do something no other mobile OS can do.
2. Convince hardware manufacturers to write drivers for the new OS.
Sadly, neither is a task an open source team can see through. Maybe if they get lucky the can solve #1, but no way they can approach #2.

On 2: The linux kernels hardware support gets better every single day. Plus it's been common knowledge for decades now that if you want a linux system you must choose hardware that is already supported. Basically if you take even just 2 seconds to think about it you will realize that hardware support for linux is the very best hardware support in the world, Period. Just choose supported hardware. It really is that simple.

[starshipeleven]

The key is still in standardized package management, imo. I say let distro's do whatever the hell they want to do, but adhere to a standardized filesystem layout, as most already do, and a common application delivery system.....

Unless you standardize also libraries and other system stuff, or you ship applications and their own libs together, it's not gonna work.
That's what they are doing here. Making a standard base OS