The Symbian Foundation, who are behind one of the world’s most popular mobile phone operating systems, Symbian, has announced that their Symbian OS will be open source from today.
The Symbian OS has shipped on over 330 million mobile phones, and the Symbian Foundation has made the OS open source in a bid to attract new developers to the platform to speed up its development.
Symbian’s Market Presence and Impact
Symbian’s OS is used in the majority of Nokia’s mobile phones, and Nokia also owns the majority share in the Symbian Foundation, which was set up in 2008 by Nokia so that the platform could be distributed as open source. This strategic move was aimed at fostering innovation and collaboration among developers worldwide. By making the Symbian OS open source, the foundation hopes to leverage the collective expertise of the global developer community to enhance the platform’s features, security, and overall performance.
The Symbian OS has been a significant player in the mobile operating system market, particularly before the rise of Android and iOS. Its robust architecture and extensive feature set made it a preferred choice for many mobile manufacturers. However, with the rapid advancements in mobile technology and the emergence of new competitors, Symbian faced challenges in maintaining its market share.
Potential for Developer Engagement and Innovation
It will be interesting to see whether the move to open source for Symbian will attract new developers who may be able to develop it to compete with the likes of Google Android and Apple’s iPhone platform. The open-source model has proven successful for other platforms, such as Android, which has seen tremendous growth and innovation due to its open nature. By opening up Symbian, the foundation is providing developers with the opportunity to contribute to the platform’s evolution, potentially leading to new and innovative applications and features.
For instance, developers can now access the source code, modify it, and create custom versions of the OS tailored to specific needs or devices. This flexibility can lead to the development of niche applications and solutions that cater to unique user requirements. Additionally, the open-source community can help identify and fix bugs more quickly, improving the overall stability and security of the OS.
Moreover, the move to open source can also attract academic and research institutions interested in studying and experimenting with mobile operating systems. This can lead to new insights and advancements in mobile technology, further benefiting the Symbian platform.
Have a look at our article on Android vs iPhone to see which smartphone and mobile platform is best for you.
via Gadget Lab
Latest Geeky Gadgets Deals
Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn about our Disclosure Policy.
