Before there was Android or MeeGo, there was the LiMo Foundation. Founded in January 2007, the foundation was established to provide a Linux-based platform for mobile devices. Despite being around longer, LiMo hasn't gotten quite as much attention as other Linux mobile efforts.

To get some insight into LiMo, we talked with David "Lefty" Schlesinger, who chairs the LiMo Foundation's Open Source Committee and works for LiMo member ACCESS as its director of Open Source Technologies.

JKOnTheRun reports this today: "As we wait for Motorola’s Android phone, the Cliq/Dext, the company is once again confirming its commitment to the Android platform. Motorola had already stated that it was dropping Windows Mobile to focus on Android, and it’s doing the same with LiMo. Christy Wyatt, VP at Motorola, has vacated her seat on the LiMo Foundation board of directors."

According to a Motorola statement: "At this time [Motorola] feels that the Android platform gives it a richer, more consistent foundation with strong support for the ecosystem and developer community.” With Android gaining so much momentum, and wooing handset makers and multiple wireless carriers alike, LiMo's mobile Linux strategy is looking fragile.

Despite the lagging economy, smartphones remain a hot market, and open source phones are in the spotlight. According to research from Juniper Research telecom consultants, the number of smartphones shipped with open source operating systems will increase from 106 million this year to 223 million by 2014. Juniper's study found that open source operating systems and applications "are playing an increasingly important role in the differentiation of new smartphones and are a key factor in the choice of which handset to choose from by users." Juniper's findings are being echoed by other researchers.