First blood to Symbian at this year's Spy v Spy at 3GSM in Cannes. Microsoft and Samsung revealed the Samsung SGH-i700, a GPRS-capable Pocket PC device, but experienced immediate and massive retaliation from Symbian, which today announces that Samsung has become a Symbian shareholder.

Samsung is possibly the biggest tug of of love child in the history of the universe, and is subject to more or less alternate strategic announcements from Microsoft and Symbian indicating undying allegiance. Until the next counter-announcement. The Symbian stake, however, is surely more meaningful in the longer term.

Samsung gets 5 per cent for £17 million, and a seat on the Symbian supervisory board to go along with it. This puts current shareholdings as follows: Sony-Ericsson 19 per cent, Panasonic 7.9 per cent, Motorola 19 per cent, Nokia 19 per cent, Psion 25.3 per cent, Samsung 5 per cent and Siemens 4.8 per cent.

The new shareholder doesn't seem to impact the stakes the existing shareholders have much, but no doubt the £17 million will come in handy. @reg;