Linux-based Mobile OS to Hit Markets
By Sonal Desai
Mumbai, Jul 24, 2008

A privately held company that develops mobile software has taken a plunge into the open source world. It is now developing mobile phone operating systems around the Linux platform.

The Sunnyvale, California-based company is funded by Garnett and Helfrich Capital, a private equity firm.

The company - Azingo, has developed a product named Azingo Mobile, that supports five-key navigation, key board, touch-screen, and virtual keyboard interfaces.

Understanding that the company faces stiff competition from the likes of RIM (Blackberry), Windows OS, iPhone, Symbian, and Palm OS in the segment, Mahesh Veerina, founder and CEO of Azingo in an interaction with CXOtoday said, "The iPhone has revolutionized the entire world. The browser has become the interface for the enterprise. We will build gateway platforms that connect to both the Intranet and the Internet on the mobile. This will certainly make a CIO's life easier when he has to select gadgets for his mobile workforce, or if an enterprise wants to develop applications on the platform for venture into a new vertical, like healthcare."

Explaining the concept he said, "The middleware supports three application programming interfaces: Native (C/C++), Java, and web widgets that use browser services and JavaScript technology. It uses mobile-optimized versions of open source technologies."

Originally developed for desktop/laptop computing, it comprises 12 integrated component frameworks to deliver performance for telephony, messaging, multimedia, browsing/web, PIM and core services, applications and user interface management, device and data management, security, digital rights management, Java, and IP networking."

The mobile's frameworks are pre-integrated to the kernel and application suite to reduce the time and costs of bringing new mobile phones to market. As a result, handset manufacturers and operators can deliver tailored solutions to multiple market segments with a single software platform, said Gabi Schindler, chief marketing officer for Azigo.

She said, "We will market the product to handset manufacturers and carriers. Over a period of time, we want to create Azingo as our own brand in the software market. It will gradually happen, once the phones enter the market and people realize our potential."

The company that has 300 people in the research and development and the engineering departments in India will use a lot of the capital from the $ 40 million that it received from its venture capitalists towards developing a strong base.

"We have plans to increase the headcount to 500 by end 2008 and to 1,000 by end 2009. Much more investment will go towards R&D, and also product development. I see a lot of potential in this technology because Linux in the desktop and the server world has matured over the years. We are expanding organically and acquiring companies for further leverage," said Veerina.

He said that Azingo is in talks with one of the largest hand set provider globally. The deal will soon be made public. The product will however, be ready for commercial shipment in 2009.

Speaking about the revenue model, he said, "We have a two-fold revenue model. We charge a fee for the software per unit and also for the services to the customer. The latter is a means for recurring revenues.

Mobile software and devices will play a major role on the show floor at OSCON this year, with Google, Intel, Trolltech, Ubuntu, and a host of other major developers planning to showcase their efforts on cell phones and Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs).


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