Sun 23 Nov 2008

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Symbian and Android will merge

There can be only one

ANALYST FIRM J. Gold Associates, has released a new research report concerning the current open-source mobile operating system market.

Analyst Jack Gold has stated that he believes Symbian and Google's Android will combine to provide a single Open Source operating system.

Apparently the rationale behind Google merging its newly-developed product is due to the company having difficulties with producing a mobile OS, and Gold points to recent 'slips' to support these theories.

Symbian would also benefit from the merging of the two products, with the research paper stating, "Symbian for its part has a huge share in smart phones, but could use some more help in cementing its position with the Open Source community and not appear as just a Nokia PR stunt."

Gold believes the 'true' open version of Symbian won't be available for around 18-24 months, allowing time for the two code bases to be consolidated into a superior open-source product.

Once this happens, the analyst firm believes the majority of all other open-source mobile operating system efforts will fall into place behind the merged behemoth and follow suit - allowing a greater competitive force to oust Microsoft's Windows Mobile.

These conclusions come soon after Nokia purchased Symbian and released it to the public domain under an Open Source license. Read the previous INQ brief here.

We're not so sure Google would wish to merge its upcoming newly-founded operating system with an existing solution, especially if it means loosening control over a product its keeping tight to its chest. µ

Comments

Impossible

It may be , but not because is difficult to put linux on phone. LiMo has already done this, so is moth more probale taht LiMo and Android. In my understanding Android is about to sell app on the web and LiMo is about have a phone that work... so it would be a good marriage.
posted by : giulio, 25 July 2008

Don't let the facts get into the way of a good story ...

The suggestion that Symbian and Android merge is complete and utter nonsense from a technological perspective. Symbian is barely Posix compatible and has a very different technological underpinning from a Linux system. It makes as much sense as suggesting that Windows and Linux merge.
posted by : Alex, 25 July 2008

total rubbish

There would be no benefit to that merger and it will never happen. Symbian is clearly in the lead but has a really old and creaky codebase - in need of new ideas. Android is fresh yet immature but approaching things differently. The idea that they should combine to oust MS is laughable, oust them from where exactly ? Their puny 10% market share? RIM & Apple will overtake them very soon and be the real challengers to Symbian. Linux-based OSes will pass MS soon too.
posted by : Mark, 25 July 2008

Symbian is garbage

Symbian should be tossed into the trash can. Nokia realized what garbage Symbian was after they bought it and that is why they gave it away as open source. And yes, I used to code Symbian software. It's garbage.
posted by : marvin, 25 July 2008

**WILL**???? Merge???

Gads but you people know no depths of journalistic tomfoolery. When an analyst suggests something *should* or *might* happen, it is egregiously irresponsible to title the article "X Will Happen".

I hope you folks realize that your site has devolved from "journalism" to "guilty entertainment" to me. But beware: even The World Weekly News ("Alien Babies Living On Titanic!") recently collapsed under the weight of its own absurdity...
posted by : androticus, 25 July 2008

Prediction ONLY - no Facts

This is not stating it will happen but purely a prediction.

Mr Gold told me, "We have not sited any sources at either Symbian or Google for this report, as it is conjecture on our part, based on market analysis and what we believe should take place to advance the mobile market"

I will have more information on this at http://www.googleandblog.com/

,Michael Martin
posted by : Michael Martin, 25 July 2008

two words

Stupid idea!

If Mr. Gold's assumption that both Google Android and Symbian will need (more) time to market with their first/next gen products, than a merger would be like two prisoners escaping from prison with their legs tied together.

Above all, the article title sounds is incorrect. I'm not in the know, is this yellow press? :-)

Cheers!
Shonzilla
posted by : Shonzilla, 26 July 2008

Analyist is a fool

This is an absolutely ridiculous idea; not only is it completely unfeasible from a technical perspective (it's a very wrong-headed suggestion) , it's pretty far-fetched to come up with a reason why Google would want to.

Assuming you've not misquoted Mr Jack Gold, he's a moron, not an analyst.
posted by : drtune, 27 July 2008

google vs. zzzphone

hi john
if your interested in a follow up story to your earlier story on zzzphone in new york times please read this; you can call me at xxxxxxxxxx for more details. also we have the names of 3 MIT students who have been working summers for google android. they have been offered full time after post grad from MIT. the MIT android team were awarded $350,000 in the contest while our 4 submissions were thrown out. we have since applied for china and USA patents on our 4 software/hardware apps.
further we have been bad mouthed on the official google android blog , saying we are not recognized by google. while the android system is revolutionary and complements our revolutionary process of custom making each cell phone to each customers requirement,(including free uploading 3 android softwares of customers choice),it is anything except "open source"
as david killed goliath, we are beating google to worldwide markets (except we lose the first battle by 1 month in USA). and with a far superior, unlocked(really open sourced), 2 sim card phone. at less than half the true google phone price($179 plus $840 in extra t-mobile charges over 2 years) price.
to my knowledge only google and zzzphone are taking orders as of now.
our engineering team has 22 Chinese in shenzhen as opposed to the 1000s working in the "alliance" you can see the press release (attachment) and our phone at www.zzzphone.com beta
larry horowitz, president
posted by : larry, 14 October 2008
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