Nokia exec denies Symbian Maemo swap claim
Doesn't quite address original allegation
A Nokia executive has pooh-pooh'd claims that the Finnish phone giant is dropping support for Symbian in favour of its Maemo mobile incarnation of Linux.
“Nokia is not replacing Symbian with Maemo," Peter Schneider, Head of Marketing for Maemo Devices at Nokia, Twittered yesterday. "Symbian and Maemo will continue to co-exist."
It’s worth noting, however, that the original report never claimed Nokia was planning to replace Symbian with Maemo across the board, just that it may do so with its smartphone devices.
Since Schneider's comment addresses an across-the-board operating system switch rather than the smartphone-only change, both claim and counterclaim are not mutually exclusive. ®
COMMENTS
Wishful thinking...
Anyone who's used a Maemo-powered Nokia N800 or N810 can vouch that Maemo is not a smartphone platform. Throwing in a cellular modem doesn't make it that either. All you get is a better-connected a MID or mini-netbook. Better hold on to that smartphone...
Thanks AC
Having looked at those two links from AC (one of which I'd found previously, and one of which I hadn't) I guess that I was really bemoaning the fact that the s60 versions weren't as easy/nice as Maemo Mapping :)
I have to say that the OS maps on s60 look very good, but are a little pricey (£150ish for the whole of the UK at 1:50,000).
I am more drawn to Maemo than to s60, mainly as I feel that it fits the vision of the phone as a mini computer better, but then again (as has been so amply demonstrated), what do I know...
if you want mobile Linux...use open mobile LInux
There are two handhelds that people should know about if you want a smartphone or handheld that runs linux:
the OpenMoko Freerunner: www.openmoko.com
and the Pandora: http://openpandora.org/
although the Pandora is not ready yet, it will kick butt on what the Nokia N810 will do
People working for Nokia
have told me they take Linux very seriously now. Maemo, Android or something else, I do not know.
In my opinion that does not mean that Symbian is out. Perhaps some more healthy competition within the company. After all I do not expect Symbian to run 90% of the worlds top500 super computers. So certainly there is room for both.
Does it really matter?
Maybe Nokia just wants to diversify its smartphone lineup.
Afterall, Series 40 is more or less dead. Maybe they are just looking to redefine the idea of a smartphone? They have been trying to get away from the term for a while, with the idea of a 'mobile computer'.
