Meanwhile, phones and PC devices are starting to converge, offering a lot of the same functionality, he explained. A PC can be cheaper than a phone, he said.
"If you look at what the iPhone has, it looks pretty similar to that PC," said Zemlin, comparing the iPhone to a $1,000 ThinkPad PC.
Linux also is benefitting from the down economy, with customers looking to save costs, Zemlin said. It also is overcoming potential legal hurdles with developments such as , Zemlin said.