The LiMo Foundation – tasked with creating a mobile Linux-based open-source operating system that can be quickly designed into a handset – unveiled a number of announcements today after being out of the spotlight for a while. The consortium said that six of its tier one operator members – NTT DoCoMo, Orange, SK Telecom, Telefonica, Verizon Wireless and Vodafone – have committed to launching handsets supporting the ‘LiMO Platform’ this year. Telefonica and SK Telecom have also joined the group’s Board of Directors. Meanwhile, the Foundation talked up advancements being made to the technology that includes input from companies such as Access, Azingo, LG, Purple Labs and Samsung.

Although the LiMo Foundation is building a mobile operating system based on Linux, it has direct competition from Google’s high-profile Android operating system (also based on Linux). Android backers are made up of the Open Handset Alliance, which includes members such as China Mobile, T-Mobile, Vodafone, Samsung, LG and Sony Ericsson. HTC has already launched an Android handset, and more launches are expected by other vendors at next week’s GSMA Mobile World Congress. Meanwhile, rival operating system Symbian is now owned by the world’s largest handset vendor, Nokia, and will soon also become open-source. Analysts have speculated that all three consortia could collaborate to some extent in the future. Many of the members of the LiMo Foundation, for example, are also members of the other groups.