DEV Community

Discussion on: Why isn’t mainstream Linux available for mobile?

Collapse
 
jmfayard profile image
Jean-Michel 🕵🏻‍♂️ Fayard • Edited

For the same reason that Windows had a 90+% marketshare for a very long time.

Operating system have powerful networking effects and tend to be monopoly markets - or in the case of mobile, a dual monopoly Android-iOS.

It's not that anyone didn't try. It's just awfully hard to make a dent

Collapse
 
akashkava profile image
Akash Kava

Wasn’t it same before Linux? And Linux did become successful, even when no company was making drivers, community build it independently and made it possible. Linux did make successful dent and for mobile it can still make dent. We just need a great place to start.

Collapse
 
jmfayard profile image
Jean-Michel 🕵🏻‍♂️ Fayard

Linux didn't make a dent whatsoever on the desktop where Microsoft Windows was

Linux succeeded on other markets: server side, embedded devices, chrome OS, Android, ... all that run on Linux

Thread Thread
 
akashkava profile image
Akash Kava

Majority of developers use Linux and many organizations do use Linux, yes for commercial desktop market, Linux hasn't been successful, but at least it is viable alternative if you are willing to switch. For phone, there is no alternative.