July 29, 2008 at 17:05Should Android and Symbian merge?
According to analysts , the Android and Symbian mobile platforms can become the basis for a single operating system, which will be distributed on the principle of Open Source. According to the forecast, Nokia and Google may agree within the next three to six months.
If Android and Symbian combine the source code in one project, then other players in this market, such as the LiMo Foundation, can join.
Jack Gold (chief analyst at J. Gold Associates ), who expressed this thought , explains that he is guided solely by market analysis, and not some insider information. That is, of course, this is pure speculation. But in the thoughts of Gold there is still a rational kernel.
First, the emergence of a single open OS is vital for mobile device manufacturers. Currently, many manufacturers sponsor both the Open Handset Alliance (Android) and the Symbian Foundation, while competition between mobile OSes is not included in their plans. They don’t care what kind of OS it will be, but the main thing is that a common platform will be able to take the content market: games, music, video and software to a whole new level. Joining forces is beneficial for everyone: both Symbian and Google. Together, open-source developers can effectively counter the threat posed by the Apple iPhone.
Secondly, a series of recent events indicates a possible merger of the Open Handset Alliance and the Symbian Foundation. The Android SDK did not meet the deadline, that is, in the spring, as promised. It seems that Google is beginning to understand how difficult it is to make a normal phone, and they are unlikely to be able to release their own phone, as promised, in the second half of 2008. Gold predicts that this will happen only next year. He says that Google’s focus on its own platform really depresses the company's potential to create cross-platform applications that can generate good profits.
If Android and Symbian combine the source code in one project, then other players in this market, such as the LiMo Foundation, can join.
Jack Gold (chief analyst at J. Gold Associates ), who expressed this thought , explains that he is guided solely by market analysis, and not some insider information. That is, of course, this is pure speculation. But in the thoughts of Gold there is still a rational kernel.
First, the emergence of a single open OS is vital for mobile device manufacturers. Currently, many manufacturers sponsor both the Open Handset Alliance (Android) and the Symbian Foundation, while competition between mobile OSes is not included in their plans. They don’t care what kind of OS it will be, but the main thing is that a common platform will be able to take the content market: games, music, video and software to a whole new level. Joining forces is beneficial for everyone: both Symbian and Google. Together, open-source developers can effectively counter the threat posed by the Apple iPhone.
Secondly, a series of recent events indicates a possible merger of the Open Handset Alliance and the Symbian Foundation. The Android SDK did not meet the deadline, that is, in the spring, as promised. It seems that Google is beginning to understand how difficult it is to make a normal phone, and they are unlikely to be able to release their own phone, as promised, in the second half of 2008. Gold predicts that this will happen only next year. He says that Google’s focus on its own platform really depresses the company's potential to create cross-platform applications that can generate good profits.