DoCoMo working with handset makers to use Linux platform on 3G phones

According to the Financial Times, NTT DoCoMo of Japan has jointly developed a Linux operating system with manufacturers Matsushita Electric Industrial and NEC Corp, for use in its latest range of 3G handsets. Ultimately, DoCoMo plans to use the Linux O/S standard on all its third-generation phones in Japan. The development of an open-source platform for use on a commercial UMTS network is seen as a key victory for software developer Linux. Japanese mobile phone makers have previously used their own proprietary systems such as TRON, or the European O/S Symbian.