Nokia’s decision to go with Microsoft’s Windows Phoen operationg system for its smartphones, raises a question about the future of MeeGo.
MeeGo is an open source mobile platform created through a two year collaboration between Intel and Nokia.
Potentially a rival to Windows Phone, it seems likely that Nokia will not support both smartphone platforms in the long term.
Intel recognises the reality of this and company CEO Paul Otellini has been reported on Reuters that he is prepared to find a new partner for MeeGo.
The future of the MeeGo open-source platform does seem uncertain following the Microsoft deal.
Nokia CEO Stephen Elop, speaking in Barcelona before Mobile World Congress last week, was vague on his plans for MeeGo, which just six months ago was seen a strategically vital to Nokia's future.
All he would say is that MeeGo is "part of the exploration as we go forward".
Nokia’s CEO indicated there were already discussions with Intel on the future of the open source software initiative.
Intel and Nokia collaborated last February to merge their respective mobile Linux platforms, into MeeGo.
The two companies also started working together in a new mobile device development laboratory, with 3D graphics as the first project to tackle.
"There is more work to do on deciding the future of MeeGo," said Elop, last week.
Little surpise then that Intel feels it will have to find a new partner for the MeeGo platform, and a mobile phone firm will be the likely target.
The problem is that with most handset firms signing up to Google Android operating system, finding a partner for MeeGo won’t be easy.
Nokia was the ideal partner for Intel. Then Microsoft came along.
In the short term, MeeGo continues as planned and Nokia is likely to still introduce its first product supporting the open-source software platform this year.
There has probably been too much development investment to scrap it.
The creation of open-source platforms, with their potential for strong ecosystems and applications, has been seen as the way forward for the mobile phone industry.
Google was the first to recognise this more than two years ago and it created the Android platform, which is now being widely adopted across the industry.
Arguablty Intel and Nokia were latecomers to the open-source party when they teamed up to create the MeeGo platform a year ago.
It was felt that with both Nokia and Intel behind it, there was a chance MeeGo could make an impact.
The industry will now wait and see whether Intel has the resource or the incentive to to continue to develop silicon for MeeGo in the face of the rising popularity of Android.
See: Nokia CEO draws battle lines