Intel and European mobile operator Orange announced an agreement to deliver Orange multimedia services for Intel Atom-based devices running the new Linux-based, Intel/Nokia MeeGo mobile OS. The partnership aims to develop a common MeeGo-based software framework across multiple devices, say the companies.

Intel and France Telecom-owned European mobile operator Orange had few details about the partnership except to say that the companies will establish "a common software framework across multiple devices, ranging from smartphones and tablets to netbooks." In addition, Intel will provide MeeGo support for Orange Signature Services, including Orange TV and Orange Maps, say the companies.

Intel and Nokia announced the MeeGo platform at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona last month. Hosted by the Linux Foundation, the MeeGo project combines two open source Linux projects: the Intel-backed Moblin and Nokia's Maemo distribution. Aimed at mobile devices ranging from handhelds to netbooks, MeeGo incorporates Nokia's Qt application framework.

So far, two companies have announced upcoming products based on MeeGo: LG's previously Moblin-based GW-990 phone, as well as a reference design from Aava Mobile (see image below). Both are built around Intel's next generation of the Atom, code-named Moorestown.

Aava Mobile's Moorestown-based smartphone reference design, which will first run on Moblin 2.1 before transitioning to MeeGo

Language used in the Orange announcement hints that MeeGo is much more Moblin than Maemo. According to the press release, "MeeGo builds on the capabilities of the Moblin core OS and its support for a wide range of device types and reference user experiences, combined with the momentum of Maemo in the mobile industry and the broadly adopted Qt application and UI framework for software developers." Indeed, an early MeeGo mockup appears to be closely aligned with the Moblin UI.

Early MeeGo netbook UI example

France Telecom's Orange is the third largest mobile operator and the second largest broadband Internet provider in Europe, says the company. By the end of last year, Orange had a customer base of almost 193 million customers in 32 countries, including 132.6 million mobile customers and 13.5 million broadband Internet (ADSL) customers, says Orange.

T-Mobile UK and Orange UK to merge

Also this week, the European Commission granted clearance for the proposed merger of the UK-business operations of Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom. T-Mobile UK and Orange UK will join in a new venture that will "be market leader in the UK mobile market serving 29.5 million customers," says Orange. The closing of the transaction is expected this spring.

Stated Yves Maitre, SVP Devices, Orange Group, "Seventy-five percent of our customer base has yet to embrace the mobile internet. With the increasing number of phones and operating systems for customers to choose from, it is our role to make sure our customer's journey into this richer mobile multimedia environment is simple and easy."

Stated Doug Fisher, VP, Software and Services Group and GM, Systems Software Division, Intel Corp., "Combined with the MeeGo software platform, these PC-like devices will deliver a wealth of Internet, computing and communications experiences with rich graphics, multitasking and multimedia capabilities and the best applications performance."

Availability

The MeeGo site may be found here, and more information on Orange may be found at its website, here.

---

This article was originally published on LinuxDevices.com and has been donated to the open source community by QuinStreet Inc. Please visit LinuxToday.com for up-to-date news and articles about Linux and open source.