If Apple thinks it has enough to worry about fighting rival mobile operating system Android, it appears that another rival is about to step into the mobile space, Ubuntu, the Linux based OS, which is yet another open source operating system that is heading for tablets and smartphones at some point in the future.

According to an article over on The Next Web, by way of ZDnet, the founder of Canonical, the firm behind Ubuntu, Mark Shuttleworth will announce at the Ubuntu Developer Summit that the operating system will be coming to both smartphones and tablets along with Smart TVs.

Apparently the company is aiming to rival the Android platform and apparently believes that the “conflict of interest from Google’s purchase of Motorola” has made many Android partners look for an alternative.

Here’s what Shuttleworth says, “OEMs have tough choices. They can build their own operating system, such as what HP did for a while with webOS or work in a consortium. Consortiums can’t win. They can’t take a forceful, direct view with their products. The smartest OEM strategy is to play people off against each other. Thus, some OEMs want to have Ubuntu as a disruptive element. A strong Ubuntu can be both more co-operative with OEMs than a larger company and give them leverage with Google and Microsoft.”

So there you go, it would appear that Ubuntu is setting itself up to challenge Android in the mobile space, but whether Ubuntu can make that happen and become just as popular as Android remains to be seen. Along with Android though obviously Ubuntu will be taking on iOS products, something I would figure Apple wont simply sit back and let happen without putting up a battle.

What are our reader’s opinions on Ubuntu Linux stepping into the mobile space, can they take on the likes of Android, Apple and Microsoft?

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