Black Duck Software claims the number of open source projects targeting mobile platforms is rising sharply. Black Duck, which manages and deploys open source software, reviewed over 2,300 mobile projects and says the growth in open source code for mobile devices in 2008 was dramatic.
Palm, iPhone and Windows Mobile had the most open source projects.
Platform Total Project Releases Project Releases in 2008
Palm 1,850 113
iPhone 391 266
Windows Mobile 359 174
Symbian 322 64
Android 246 191
Rim/Blackberry 237 96
Maemo 56 17
LiMo 28 6
From the release:
“The growth in open source for mobile includes projects specifically targeted at mobile platforms, as well as existing projects that are now incorporating support for mobile devices,” said Eran Strod, Director of Product Marketing, Black Duck Software. “It is interesting that iPhone has garnered enthusiasm within the open source world. Android project numbers are also significant, especially since the platform was released in October 2008. Although LiMo, Symbian, Palm and RIM ranked under the top three in our 2008 analysis, we are seeing signs of robust developer support for these platforms going forward.”
What we think?
Despite fears for the occasional maleveolent app, it seems to me that open sourcing is the way forward for the mobile space. At least, for the time being. The mobile Internet is in a phase now where no one is sure where it’s going to go. Right now it’s in everyone’s best interests to populate the mobile web with as many interesting apps and services as possible. Sure, most of them will probably sink without a trace, but that’s not important. It’s important to try as many new things as possible, and see which one’s stick. The best way to do that is to let everyone develop. LiMO, Android, Symbian, the OMTP – a lot of the big names involved want to see mobile development (if not mobile OS in general) as open as possible.
Having spent last week in Barcelona at the Mobile World Congress and witnessed the movement to ‘open’ in its many facets by all the major players, I agree with Cian that open development is rapidly being adopted. The data in Black Duck’s media release supports it. I expect the growth of open source projects for mobile will accelerate going forward as the various platforms are made more open, as well as the fact that the channels of distribution are op[opening up as well — Microsoft and Nokia both announced their application stores to compete with Apple.