The Linux Foundation unveiled the project release of its MeeGo 1.2 open-source mobile operating system, promising a baseline for developers and manufacturers to begin creating software for devices based on Intel Atom and ARMv7 architectures. Highlights of the MeeGo 1.2 Core stack include Reference Kernels supporting a variety of Intel Atom and ARMv7 platforms, QML Application Framework and extended Qt-Mobility APIs encompassing location, system, connectivity and sensor/haptic capabilities, support for GSM, GPRS and HSPA+ networks, expanded multimedia support and USB, WiFi, and BT-PAN data tethering capability. The MeeGo 1.2 release also touts Netbook UX 1.2 (a complete set of core applications for netbooks), In-Vehicle Infotainment UX 1.2 (including a sample IVI homescreen and speech recognition-enabled Application Launcher built with QML), Tablet Developer Preview and MeeGo SDK 1.2.
MeeGo 1.2 is available for download here. MeeGo 1.3 is slated for release in October 2011. "Many new features targeting MeeGo 1.3 have already been accepted in MeeGo Featurezilla," writes the MeeGo Technical Steering Group's Imad Sousou on the MeeGo Community blog. "The development tree for MeeGo 1.3 is open and we are starting to integrate new components now."
Nokia (NYSE:NOK) and Intel jointly introduced MeeGo at the Mobile World Congress 2010 event. Combining Nokia's former Maemo and Intel's former Moblin efforts, MeeGo was previously slated to power all of Nokia's future high-end devices, but in February 2011, the handset maker announced a broad strategic partnership with Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) that positions the software maker's Windows Phone mobile operating system as Nokia's primary smartphone platform moving forward.
Intel soon restated its commitment to the project. "I don't see that Nokia changing its strategy changes the industry strategy," Intel CEO Paul Otellini told Bloomberg during an interview at Mobile World Congress 2011 days after the Nokia/Microsoft announcement. "The operators still look for an open, operator-friendly operating system."
For more:
- read this MeeGo Community blog entry
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