Nokia's announcement that they'll be buying-out the rest of Symbian in order to seed the Symbian Foundation might have Google worried about some serious open-source competition to their upcoming Android mobile platform. But, it looks like Google's going to have a few years to refine their Android platform before the Symbian Foundation poses a tangible threat.
The Symbian Foundation is slated to solidify its Symbian, S60 (Series 60), UIQ, MOAP code-base in 2009. And, the open-source mobile OS collaborative is aiming to deliver the first handsets powered by the new platform in 2010, according to Kai Öistämö, Nokia's head of devices. It will take a couple years to fully integrate all the code and bring the code-base up to open-source status, but S60 elements will be available from the "get-go."
"The first S60 elements will be available for all Foundation members from the get-go in early 2009," said Öistämö. "The final piece of the integrated code, where we have integrated all the elements, will be available in two years' time. All development done on Symbian version 9 and S60 3rd edition will be forward-compatible into the Symbian Foundation releases. For application developers, you can start developing today for this new platform and be sure that your investments will be maintained."
In contrast, the Android-backing Open Handset Alliance (OHA) is on track to deliver the first Android-powered handset as early as Q4 2008, with more handsets expected throughout 2009. That gives Google and the OHA plenty of time to refine Android in preparation for the open-source mobile platform-wars that are starting to take form.
For the time being, Android seems to be the open-source platform to beat. And, in the face of competition from Apple's Mac OS used on the iPhone, Android will be the mobile platform to look to as the next big thing. It'll take some time to see just how the Symbian Foundation plans to take on Android and Mac OS.
[Via: CNET]
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