NXP Semiconductors and Purple Labs, currently the supplier of embedded Linux solutions for mobile phones, unveiled their new 3G Linux reference feature phone called Purple Magic. The phone carries a wide range of features including video telephony, Music playback, high speed Internet browsing and video streaming at a transfer price of under $100.
Purple Magic provides as a reference design for mobile manufacturers that produce entry-level 3G handsets, particularly those targeting mobile markets such as Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America.
According to GSA mobile industry trade group, there are at present 197 commercial 3G/WCDMA networks round 87 countries, but the adoption of 3G services remains limited to European and Asian markets. The viability of 3G services in upcoming markets needs large amounts of affordable data-capable devices and Purple Magic has been designed to meet this market challenge.
CEO of Purple Labs, Simon Wilkinson stated that it was during the recent holiday period , mobile operators were buying entry-level 3G phone for $120 to $145 and also added that by leveraging their Linux technology, the Purple Magic design now enables manufacturers to now produce 3G products at a transfer price of below $100.
Purple Magic is a reference phone based on the NXP Nexperia Cellular System Solution 7210 for 3G, joined with the Purple Labs Linux suite, and is available as a fully integrated, turnkey solution. Production of an initial quantity of fully working phones enables Purple Labs to undertake considerable testing and validation, thus reducing investment and time taken to market for OEMs and ODMs that leverage the Purple Magic design.
NXP offers 3G and 3.5G multimedia platforms working on a single ARM926 processor core. The Nexperia Cellular System Solutions with Linux support UMTS performance, allows flawless service coverage in 2G and 3G networks as well as advanced multimedia features that permit consumers to take full advantage of next generation applications and mobile operator services.
Dan Rabinovitsj, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Cellular Business, NXP Semiconductors said “NXP believes in Linux as the basis for the next generation of mobile handset innovation,”. He also added that the company has been working directly with Purple Labs to produce Linux-based mobile terminals that meet the cost and performance requirements of the mass market. Joint achievement of both companies is to bring in the advantages of an Open OS environment to the mass market based on industry-leading silicon and software.
Simon Wilkinson added that the Purple Magic reference phone demonstrated their combined leadership in the mobile Linux arena and that while the same continues to concentrate on high-end devices; the Purple Magic is the first 3G Linux mass-market reference feature phone available today.
The Purple Magic phone will be exhibited at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain on February 11-14, 2008.