In an effort to compete with Google and Apple, NTT Docomo and Samsung will develop phones running the open-source Tizen operating system, with the first handsets reaching the market next year, the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper reported today.

Samsung will probably begin selling the smartphones next year and they are likely to be released in Japan and other countries at around the same time, according to the paper's sources.

Besides Docomo, European mobile phone service companies also are participating in the development of linux-based Tizen because they fear the hegemony of the two U.S. companies in businesses using smartphones, such as games and music distribution. Tizen's main developers are Samsung and Intel. Besides Docomo, Vodafone Group PLC, France Telecom, other European mobile phone service companies, Panasonic and NEC are involved in the development.

Docomo is the only firm among Japan's three major mobile phone service operators that does not sell Apple's iPhones.