Mobile Java OS-maker lands 5th largest handset maker

According to The Register, LG, which is not only the world's fifth largest handset manufacturer, but also the number one provider of 3G phones, is the first major phone manufacturer to buck tradition by going with SavaJe's pure Java-based handset operating system. Exactly three years ago today, after seeing how the company had packed J2SE (the desktop version of the Java Runtime Enviroment) into a Compaq iPaq, I wrote about SavaJe. The company has been on my watch list of Cinderella favorites ever since. Several European cellco's have taken an ownership stake in the company and now, with LG as a licensee, SavaJe may finally be getting the sunshine it deserves.

LG isn't the only handheld device manufacturer to make a huge operating system decision in the last seven days. Last week, PalmSource announced it would look to recreate PalmOS' magic on Linux. PalmOS is the operating system found in all Palm-based devices (Treos, Tungstens, etc.). As I said last week and more than two years prior to that (and several times in the middle), I think PalmSource would have better off going with SavaJe than with the old PalmOS or Linux.