Nokia: Symbian and MeeGo not dead yet, still shipping this year (updated)
Amazing day, eh? Something many of us thought would never happen just hit the smartphone industry like a sweaty madman screaming at developers. But rest easy, even though Windows Phone 7 is being billed as Nokia's "primary smartphone platform," your OS hasn't suffered an untimely death, MeeGo and Symbian fans. Understandably, we're seeing that Alberto Torres, the former head of MeeGo, quit as of yesterday. Here's what Nokia has in store for MeeGo:
"Under the new strategy, MeeGo becomes an open-source, mobile operating system project. MeeGo will place increased emphasis on longer-term market exploration of next-generation devices, platforms and user experiences. Nokia still plans to ship a MeeGo-related product later this year."
Likewise, Symbian isn't going away either:
"With Nokia's planned move to Windows Phone as its primary smartphone platform, Symbian becomes a franchise platform, leveraging previous investments to harvest additional value. This strategy recognizes the opportunity to retain and transition the installed base of 200 million Symbian owners. Nokia expects to sell approximately 150 million more Symbian devices in the years to come"
Jo Harlow, Nokia exec now in charge of Smart Devices, will grab the MeeGo reins in addition to responsibility for Symbian Smartphones and Strategic Business Operations.
Update: After listening to the Q&A and further presentations, it's clear that Symbian is on its last legs and will be replaced by Windows Phone just as soon as Nokia and Microsoft can make it happen. Commitment to MeeGo has also softened with Elop calling it "an opportunity for learning."
