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Symbian May Use More Google
(16 Jul 2008, BWCS Staff)Symbian, the collaborative software maker for smart-phones, said today that it may expand its current collaboration with Google Inc to the operating system level as it moves to grant free and open access to its software platform. According to the CEO of Symbian, Nigel Clifford, the two companies are ready to work together and Symbian "Will be happy to collaborate with them (Google)." Symbian currently uses Google applications such as maps and search engines on its platforms.
Symbian software is found in around 60% of all smart phones though this is likely to be challenged by the emergence of Apple iPhones and new styles of handsets using Google's Android software. The closest rivals to Symbian are Linux-based phones and Microsoft's Windows Mobile operating system. However, these reportedly take up only 12% and 11% of the market respectively.
Handset giant Nokia is the major shareholder in Symbian with around 48% of the stock. The Finnish company says it plans to buy out the remaining shareholders for US$410 million. It will then make the Symbian software available to other phone makers for free. The move is seen as a response to the emergence of the Google Android platform.
Nokia will contribute Symbian's assets to a new not-for-profit organisation, Symbian Foundation, in which it will unite with leading handset makers, network operators and communications chipmakers to create an open-source platform. Members of the Symbian Foundation include Sony Ericsson, Motorola Inc, NTT DoCoMo, AT&T Inc, LG Electronics, Samsung Electronics, STMicroelectronics, Texas Instruments Inc and Vodafone.
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