LG, China Mobile, ZTE, and others have been in talks to develop smartphones and tablets based on the open source MeeGo operating system. The same OS that Nokia recently left in favor of Windows Phone.
Nokia may have left MeeGo out in the rain, but LG could be the one to bring it an umbrella. LG is said to be in talks to adopt MeeGo, an open source platform, on some or all of its smartphones, reports Reuters. ZTE and China Mobile may also be developing handsets based on the fledgling, still unfinished operating system.
Though Nokia and Intel began the MeeGo project together, the Finnish phone maker’s departure may actually benefit the OS. Previously, other manufacturers have stayed away due to Nokia’s dominant role in the platform’s development. “It’s opening opportunities for the others to come in,” said Valtteri Halla, a member of the technical steering group of MeeGo, earlier today. ”Discussions are taking place. You’ll see things coming out this year, pretty soon.”
LG is still coy about the platform, but isn’t denying the possibility. “At this point in time LG has no definitive plans to mass produce devices with MeeGo other than car infotainment systems,” said one spokesperson. Like a lot of manufacturers, as of late, LG is neck-deep in Android development. However, as more and more Android handsets hit the market, it may be searching for new ways to differentiate its platform.
Nokia isn’t completely cutting the cord yet, however. Though the company is now committed to developing Windows Phone handsets, it is still releasing Symbian devices and will make and release a single MeeGo device later this year. No details on the device are yet available.
