UK Non-profit Aims to Reduce Embedded Linux Fragmentation on ARM Devices

Embedded Linux is more popular now than ever, but because of its ease-of-use, flexibility, and, importantly, free licensing cost, developers have taken the mobile OS in a variety of directions. Google's Android, Intel and Nokia's MeeGo, and Palm's webOS are just three Linux-based distros found on mobile device today, with Ubuntu Lite both entering the tablet scene later this year.

Linaro's development tree.

UK non-profit Linaro sets out to address fragmentation by developing a common software foundation and a set of universalization tools for other distributions to use. An OS is installed on top of Linaro and any applications will be written for the target distribution.

The result, Linaro expects, is shortened development time, easier cross-platform application development and improved battery life for mobile phones. Canonical is an engineering partner with Linaro. Canonical's LaunchPad for publishing code and documentation of the project.

The first set of open source tools is planned for a November release, with future releases following every six months.