In the race to be the first "iPhone killer," the most unlikely but perhaps most intriguing candidate is based on a new Linux platform with the peculiar name OpenMoko.

Major mobile phone vendors are tripping over themselves to release devices to compete with Apple's iPhone. LG Electronics has its Prada, High Tech Computer has the Touch, and Samsung Group will release its Ultra Smart F700.

However, OpenMoko comes from a low-visibility Taipei-based company, First International Computer (FIC), which is best known for manufacturing laptops for vendors such as Hewlett-Packard.

The first phone based on the OpenMoko platform, FIC's Neo 1973, is currently available to developers, with wide release expected this autumn.

Can a relatively unknown vendor using a new Linux platform succeed in such a highly competitive market?

"The likelihood of this product becoming mainstream is very low," said Ken Dulaney, an analyst at Gartner in Stamford, Conn.

However, Sean Moss-Pultz, primary architect of OpenMoko, disagrees. In an interview, he didn't refer to the Neo 1973 as an "iPhone-killer" -- the media and bloggers have been doing that. However, he did say he expects the device, with its iPhone-like touchscreen, to be a hit. That's because application developers will have complete access to the system.

"Most of the [Linux] consumer devices don't give developers access to low-level hardware stuff," Moss-Pultz said. "We want [developers] involved in the most fundamental parts, such as the kernel and device drivers."

That, in turn, is leading to a flurry of development that will make the device so feature-rich and customizable that it will be compelling for both consumers and enterprises, Moss-Pultz said.

The first attempt
Even without a flock of busy developers, the Neo 1973, with its expected price of $300 for an unlocked version, should be attractive, Moss-Pultz said. He said the device will work over GSM cellular networks (AT&T and T-Mobile in the U.S.), although the first version will support only older, modem-speed GPRS cellular data access. By contrast, the iPhone has been criticized for supporting only enhanced data rates for GSM evolution (EDGE) cellular data technology, which is significantly faster than GPRS but slower than 3G.

"Initially, data speeds won't be anything to write home about," Moss-Pultz acknowledged. "But we're working on 3G versions." Beyond that, the Neo 1973 should be an eye-grabber with its 2.8-inch, 640-by-480-pixel resolution and a touchscreen display, Moss-Pultz said.

"It'll be like reading something printed on paper," Moss-Pultz said. The device will be fast, sporting a 400MHz processor, and it will have significant graphics acceleration for gaming and video. It also will support Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. In addition, the device will be suitably diminutive at about 4.7 by 2.6 x 0.7 inches, although it will weigh a somewhat beefy 6.5 ounces.

Enterprise and consumer appeal
While he said the initial release will be attractive, Moss-Pultz acknowledged that the public release of the Neo 1973 in October is just the first step.

"October will be a 1.0 release. It'll take some revisions before it gets real good," he said. That will occur as more applications become available, he predicted. Some developers are creating consumer applications, such as those for collecting and playing media, Moss-Pultz said. Other developers are creating applications for enterprises, such as the ability to synchronize data with server-based applications such as Microsoft Exchange.

In fact, the most intriguing possibilities are in the enterprise, where Linux servers and applications are common, he stressed.

"The device uses the same libraries as server and desktop Linux," Moss-Pultz said. In particular, OpenMoko uses the GNU C library, the X window system, and the GTK+ toolkit. "If you recompile the [existing enterprise] applications, they'll work." He said there has been strong interest from corporations, particularly because the phone can be customized.

"Pretty much all the big enterprises have contacted us and are interested," he said. "Enterprises have scores of IT staff who can customize and maintain Linux applications. With this phone, the company can customize it exactly the way they want it for their employees." By contrast, most cell phones are notoriously uncustomizable.