NXP Semiconductors has teamed with embedded Linux developer Purple Labs (Chambery, France) for a sub $100 3G reference mobile phone targeted at handset designers focusing on emerging and developing markets.

The companies say the Linux feature phone will accelerate 3G mass market penetration. They add that while the mobile Linux industry has mostly concentrated on high-end devices, the reference platform, dubbed Purple Magic, will now allow OEMs and ODMs to enter this growing segment of the 3G handsets business.

The reference phone is based on the 3G version of NXP’’s Nexperia Cellular System Solution 7210 and has been optimized to run on the Purple Labs Linux suite.

Production of prototype volumes has already allowed Purple Labs to undertake considerable testing and validation of the reference design, reducing investment and time to market for OEMs and ODMs.

“NXP believes in Linux as the basis for the next generation of mobile handset innovation,” commented Dan Rabinovitsj, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Cellular Business, NXP Semiconductors. “Our joint achievement is to bring the advantages of an Open OS environment to the mass market based on industry leading silicon and software.”

The Purple Magic phone will be exhibited at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain that begins on February 11th.

As soon as this is Available I will try my hardest to carry this here on Astawerks.com