Motorola today introduced the Evoke QA4, a touch-screen slider phone using virtualization technology based on Open Kernel Labs’ OKL4 embedded hypervisor to run both Linux and another real-time OS (RTOS) on a single processor. OK Labs is calling it the world’s first mobile handset that can run multiple operating systems simultaneously, potentially – although not yet confirmed by Motorola – including Android as the Linux OS.
According to OK Labs, the use of virtualization enabled Moto to offer a powerful smartphone-like handset, but charge a feature-phone price and use much less power. The phone runs on a single ARM9 processor to power Linux apps and existing legacy RTOS apps in a widget touch-screen interface. The home screen content can be customized with integrated widgets and personalized RSS feeds. A full HTML browser can also be used to share pictures, videos and browse the web. It’s not the handset maker’s typical design philosophy, but that could be a good thing as it searches for a comeback.
OK Labs said that by running both operating systems, the handset offers decreased bill-of-materials costs and separation of GPL and proprietary software code required by companies’ IP policies. The virtualization company integrated the two by reusing existing software, it said. OKL4 can run both OSs on one processor as if they were separate.
While OK Labs is touting a mass-market price, Moto didn’t announce specific pricing for the handset when it’s available. The quad-band CDMA and EVDO Rev A handset will be made available to Cricket Wireless customers in the second quarter. It is Cricket’s first touch-screen phone and arguably Moto’s highest-end device yet.
