AMD joins MeeGo project

Chip company to join Intel and Nokia on open source platform development

AMD has joined the ranks of the MeeGo smartphone operating system, and will offer assistance from its engineering operations to help build the platform.

MeeGo represents an "exciting, open source mobile operating system" that AMD expects to be adopted by mobile and embedded device makers over time, according to Ben Bar-Haim, corporate vice president of software development at AMD.

"We are glad to provide engineering resources to joint industry efforts like MeeGo, and expect that this operating system will help drive our embedded plans and create expanded market opportunities for our forthcoming Accelerated Processing Units," he said.

Based on a combination of the Moblin and Maemo platforms, MeeGo is an attempt to introduce a new Linux-based operating system into the smartphone, tablet, netbook and handset markets.

Such a launch could provide new competition for the likes of Apple's iOS and Google's Android.

AMD's commitment adds a third big industry name to the MeeGo platform after Intel and Nokia. The project is hosted by the Linux Foundation.

"Built from the ground up for a whole new class of mobile computing devices, MeeGo gives companies like AMD and its partners unlimited opportunities to accelerate innovation for the next generation of computing," said Linux Foundation executive director Jim Zemlin.

"As an existing Linux Foundation member, AMD will be an important and valuable contributor to the MeeGo Project."