Initial focus will be 3G smartphones France Télécom SA and ZTE Corp. on Tuesday said they formed a partnership to work on a variety of telecommunications and IT projects.The companies will initially focus on using the Linux operating system for 3G (third-generation) smart phones with a particular focus on the user interface.France Télécom has been a leader in supporting the use of Linux on mobile phones. The operator recently spurred the development of the Linux Phone Standardization Forum (LiPS Forum), a group that launched in November to create APIs (application programming interfaces). With these interfaces, developers can build applications that interoperate across all Linux handsets. France Télécom also has a research lab in Beijing, which is involved in a variety of projects including Linux on handsets.The interest in Linux handsets has been strong in China, where the low cost of Linux-based phones is attractive. Interest is now growing in other regions, too.In October, Open Source Development Labs Inc. started the Mobile Linux Initiative, a group that aims to optimize the Linux operating system for handheld devices. The launch of both groups and the France Télécom/ZTE partnership indicate a growing interest in Linux handsets around the world. Technology IndustrySoftware DevelopmentSmall and Medium Business