There is so much hype around the Android operating system that it is all too easy under-play the importance of the Symbian OS in the mobile market.
According to market watcher IDC, Symbian will still be most commonly used mobile operating system for the next three years, at least.
Android has come from nowhere just two years ago and is gaining market share at the steady rate. But according to IDC, while Android will beat all comers in the next three years it won't topple Symbian from top slot.
Such is the power of the Google brand is that the Android OS is predicted to turn the mobile market on its head. From a base of just 690,000 units in 2008, by 2013 shipments of Android enabled mobiles could reach 68 million units, says IDC.
Google not withstanding, Nokia is still a powerful brand in the mobile market and its support for the Symbian OS seems to be absolute.
And remember that Nokia has plans to make Symbian open source sometime in the near future.
Although specific plans are hard to come by, it is likely to happen before 2013 and so will see Symbian squaring up against Android it what is looking like a two horse race.
Ahem... don't forget Apple. Eight million iPhones shipped in last quarter alone tells its own story.
The real loser here could be LiMO and its Linux-based operating system.
Linux has string industry support but many of those supporters are already hedging their bets with parallel Android developments.
The next three years looks like being a very difficult struggle for mobile Linux.
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