The competition amidst the Android and LiMo open-source mobile platforms heated up as Verizon Wireless joined the LiMo Foundation. On Tuesday, Verizon and the foundation announced that wireless carrier was joining as a core member, with a seat on the board of directors.

“By participating in LiMo,” Verizon said, the company “hopes to help LiMo unify the mobile industry around openness and Linux as the key enablers to lowering development costs.”

Membership Now Totals 40

LiMo Foundation Executive Director Morgan Gillis added that 40 “major wireless service providers from across North America, Asia and Europe” have become members. Membership is open to all wireless vendors and service providers.

Other new members were additionally announced by LiMo, including Infineon Technologies, Kvaleberg AS, Mozilla, Red Bend Software, Sagem Mobiles, SFR, and SK Telecom.

LiMo was founded in early 2007 by Motorola, NEC, NTT DoCoMo, Panasonic Mobile Communications, Samsung Electronics, and Vodafone to create an open and global software platform based on

The competing Linux-based, open mobile platform is Android, being developed by Google and about 30 other companies in the Open Handset Alliance. Members include LG Electronics, Motorola, Samsung Electronics, China Mobile, NTT DoCoMo, Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile, Telecom India, and Telefonica.

Last month, AT&T indicated it would plus support Android, and an Android Software Development Kit was recently released.

Open Development Initiative

Verizon’s support of LiMo could play an fundamental role in its Open Development Initiative, which it has said will allow customers to use any device or application on its national network.

In February, the company held an Open Development Device Conference and released version 1.0 of the technical specifications for wireless devices that will work on its “Any Device, Any App” network-only option. The network-only option is expected to become available later that year, and will reportedly allow customers to sign up for network service but use…

Orginal post by Top Tech News