Two industry groups working to standardize mobile device software have announced an alliance. The Linux Phone Standards (LiPS) Forum and the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) say their partnership will increase interoperability among Linux-based phones, and between Linux- and non-Linux based phones and devices.

In the future, LiPS will “principally base” some of parts of its specifications on specifications maintained by OMA, the groups said. Relevant OMA specs include:

• Device management
• Data synchronization
• Instant messaging
• MMS
• Browsing

The OMA specs will underpin various “enabler services” for rich applications defined in LiPS specs. The alignment will ensure the creation of “aligned and relevant specifications for enhanced interoperability across a range of devices and software platforms.”

The OMA was created in 2002 by a merger of the WAP Forum and the Open Mobile Architecture initiative. It today maintains dozens of middleware standards around mobile technologies from DRM (digital rights management) to IMS (IP multimedia subsystems) to Web services. Its open specifications aim to ensure service interoperability “independent of underlying software platforms and network access technologies,” it said.

The LiPS Forum was founded two years ago by eleven companies. It aims to standardize the middleware layer above the Linux kernel. It released its first spec in June.

LiPS Release 1.0 architecture
(Click image for details)
In a statement, LiPS president Haila Wang said, “LiPS working groups look to OMA for guidance in integrating OMA specifications into LiPS standards. Through the LiPS-OMA liaison, the organizations have created an efficient channel for even closer communication and cooperation.”

Jari Alvinen, chairman of OMA, added “Increasingly, Linux-based platforms provide the foundation for current and next-generation telephony terminals. The cooperation framework between LiPS and OMA can broaden the applicability of OMA enablers in Linux-based phones.”

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