Intel & Nokia Team To Battle Android & iPhone

Frank Gruber March 3, 2010 Tweet

There is a mobile battle brewing right now for mobile operating system supremacy. The iPhone OS came out and revolutionized the users interact with their mobile devices. Google quickly followed with the creation of the Android platform and have making headway with its open approach. Microsoft is said to be jumping into the game with the launch of the Windows Mobile 7. This past month during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Intel and Nokia put drove into the war by teaming up to jointly create MeeGo. MeeGo is an operating system that further closes the gap between a mobile phone and a lightweight netbook.

Both Intel and Nokia formally had their own products, Moblin and maemo respectively and they are merging to create Meego. MeeGo will take the  best pieces from the two open source projects. The idea is to create a hybrid OS that works great on a tablet or netbook but also can also work well on a mobile phone. The MeeGo code will be hosted by the Linux Foundation, and will use the Qt framework. The Qt framework will let users develop an application once and then run it on multiple platforms. The first release of MeeGo is expected in the second quarter of 2010 with devices launching later in the year. So far Nokia is the only company on board to ship MeeGo. I’d like to see other companies jump on board as this mobile OS battle is just getting started.

Disclosure: According to FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that my travel and accommodation expenses to MWC in Barcelona were covered by Intel, on behalf of the Intel Insiders program.