Microsoft and Nokia have teamed up to create a new mobile order based on Redmond’s Windows Phone 7 platform. The deal effectively marks the end of an era for Symbian and is likely the death knell for Intel’s nascent MeeGo operating system.
Under the terms of the potentially lucrative partnership, Nokia will help “drive the future” of WP7 by contributing both hardware and software expertise.
For example, Nokia Maps is slated to be a “core part” of future Microsoft services and will be integrated with Redmond’s Bing search engine.
In addition, Bing is slated to power search queries across Nokia devices, while Nokia’s content and app store will be integrated with Microsoft’s Marketplace.
“Ecosystems thrive when fueled by speed, innovation and scale,” explained Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.
“The partnership announced today provides incredible scale, vast expertise in hardware and software innovation and a proven ability to execute.”
So, what will happen with Symbian and MeeGo?
Well, Nokia now considers the OS a “franchise platform,” while recognizing the need to retain and transition the installed base of 200 million Symbian users.
Unsurprisingly, MeeGo has been relegated to an open-source, mobile operating system project, with a focus on “longer-term market exploration” of next-generation devices, platforms and user experiences.
