Our vision is to build a bold, new paradigm to streamline the way mobile handsets are developed and deployed and to be the independent, open Linux system platform company for the mobile phone industry. The mobile industry is undergoing a major structural change. A key factor in driving this change is the emergence of a new generation of enterprise-oriented smartphones. Powered by advanced semiconductor components and enabled by technically sophisticated operating systems, smartphones are, in fact, computing devices in miniature form. Up to now, mobile operating systems (OSs) have all been proprietary in nature. Proprietary OS suppliers like Symbian, Microsoft, Palm and RIM, hold tight control over their source code along with the definition of functionality, allowing little freedom for customization. In a high growth and high stakes market environment, competitive differentiation and ease of delivering customized services are paramount to both handset manufacturers and operators. Now as smartphones rapidly move from a niche into the lucrative mainstream segment, the mobile phone industry is starting to appreciate the need for an open and non-proprietary alternative. After all, placing one's strategic future in the hands of a "captive" supplier can never be the long-term business practice. The virtue of Linux as an open operating system has long been recognized, first in enterprise computing and embedded devices, quickly moving into wireless handsets. Despite the growing interests in Linux as the alternative operating system of choice, a completely integrated Linux system platform is not commercially available. Motorola, NEC, Panasonic were the first to bring their own proprietary Linux-based mobile handsets to market, after expending considerable time and corporate resources - a commitment and reach beyond the scope of all but the largest corporations. As a result, developing Linux-based mobile phones continues to present major technical challenges and barriers to entry. a la Mobile was founded in June 2005 with a clear understanding of the changing market dynamics and firm belief that the mobile phone industry is ready to embrace an open and non-proprietary mobile operating system.