The LiMo Foundation today unveiled the first wave of handsets using the LiMo Platform, its Linux-based software platform for mobile devices. Motorola, LG Electronics, NEC, Panasonic Mobile Communications and Samsung are amoung the vendors announcing products that utilize the LiMo platform.

“The breadth of the initial wave of LiMo handsets—18 models from 7 vendors—consolidates LiMo’s role as the unifying force within Mobile Linux and highlights the strong momentum established in the 12 months since LiMo was launched,” said Morgan Gillis, executive director of the LiMo Foundation. “Within one year, LiMo has secured powerful industry engagement, announced the on-schedule availability of the LiMo Platform and is today registering the first generation of handsets using LiMo Platform technology. We believe our rapid progress is propelled by LiMo’s inclusive and transparent governance model—with shared leadership and shared decision making—and pragmatic, code-centric approach to open-source innovation.”

Commercial LiMo handsets being announced today are:

• MOTO U9, MOTO Z6w, MOTOROKR Z6, RAZR2 V8, RAZR2 V8 Luxury Edition and MOTOROKR E8 from Motorola;

• NTT DoCoMo FOMA N905i, FOMA N905iμ, FOMA N705i and FOMA N705iμ from NEC;

• NTT DoCoMo FOMA P905i, FOMA P905iTV, FOMA P705i and FOMA P705iμ from Panasonic Mobile Communications, and

• SGH-i800 from Samsung.

Prototype and reference handsets being announced today are:

• LG LiMo Phone from LG Electronics,

• OPAL(m) from Aplix and

• Purple Magic from Purple Labs.

The LiMo Platform—leveraging standards and open-source projects—is a modular, plug-in-based, hardware-independent architecture built around an open operating system, with a secure run-time environment for support of downloaded applications. LiMo’s application programming interface (API) specifications are available now at limofoundation.org.

LiMo’s technology is being showcased in Booth 8b135, Hall 8 at Mobile World Congress, February 11-14 in Barcelona.