Symbian, the operating system used in most of the world’s smartphones, has completed its transition to an open source model four months ahead of schedule, better positioning the platform against fast-growing rival Android, the system developed by Google.

The move to open source means that developers will be given access to the Symbian code and can use it to develop innovative new phones, systems or products outside the mobile phone sector. It was due to complete the transition by the summer.

The Symbian system has been used in some 330 million mobile phones and is closely tied to Nokia, which uses its software in most of its handsets. A recent Ovum report calculated that Symbian, which is now a not-for-profit industry body, had a 48 per cent share of the smartphone market in 2009. However, that represented a sharp drop from the 58 per cent registered in 2008, and Ovum expects that to fall to 30 per cent by 2015, some 168 million units, as Android – another open source system - continues to gain traction.

News Source: http://www.timesonline.co.uk

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