VMware announced the Mobile Virtualization Platform. WIth it it should be possible to run multiple operating systems next to eachother on a smartphone.

MVP is built on technology acquired from Trango Virtual Processors in October 2008. MVP will help handset vendors reduce development time and get mobile phones with value-added services to market faster. End users will also benefit by being able to run multiple profiles – for example, one for personal use and one for work use – on the same phone.

“VMware is excited to extend the benefits of virtualization, which we pioneered for x86 hardware, to the mobile phone market,” said Paul Maritz, president and chief executive officer of VMware. “By abstracting the applications and data from the hardware itself, we expect that virtualization will not only enable handset vendors to accelerate time to market but can also pave the way for innovative applications and services for phone users. We look forward to working closely with our partners to bring new mobile solutions to market faster.”

More info can be found here