November 17, 2009, 1:25 pm
I used to think Ubuntu was destined to lead Linux into the mainstream, but now it’s looking much more like Google–not Canonical–will be the first Linux vendor to truly challenge Microsoft.
Google’s migration into the operating system business has been so gradual that many industry watchers have shrugged it off. When the company announced its Android OS for phones, it looked interesting. There was nothing new about the idea of using Linux on a handset, and (apart from Google’s involvement) little reason to expect it would carve out substantial market share in the competitive smartphone arena. But, with about 20 distinct Android handsets in the hands of more than three million users worldwide–and about 30 more devices expected to roll out in 2010–Google’s mobile OS is now looking like a force to be reckoned with…
