Symbian Toys

The launch of Android, Google's open-source OS for mobile phones, was postponed . As a consequence, a majority of carriers and handset vendors have pushed the launch of their Android-powered smart phones to the end of the year or beginning of next year. In the meantime, Nokia acquired Symbian and then released this dominant mobile OS in open source. Many believed that this was a prelude to a head-on collision with Android but it looks like the two are headed for more of a beast with two backs relationship than a tap out.

"We expect that within the next 3-6 months, Symbian and Android will combine to provide a single open-source operating system," said Jack E. Gold, founder and principal analyst at J. Gold Associates, who has been tracking computer, electronics and mobile phone spaces over 35 years. "Many of the same sponsors are involved in both initiatives."

"The question is, how many open source mobile platforms do we need? The mobile market does not need more divergence. It needs convergence, and this would be a way to accomplish this," said Gold. "The mobile market needs some level of consolidation of platforms if it is to make big leaps forward, as developers currently struggle to make their applications available on so many divergent platforms." Other key players in the mobile OS arena are Windows Mobile, Palm and Apple.

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