Samsung drops support for Symbian
OS to fall off the radar this December
If anyone needed evidence that the emergence of several new smartphone operating systems is having an adverse effect on those already on the market - even the current market leader - Samsung's decision to drop support for Symbian is surely it.
Announced via Samsung's Mobile Innovator board, the company states it is to discontinue its support for Symbian this December 31.
"Registration and certification of Symbian applications for the Samsung Apps store will cease from 08:00am on the 31 of December 2010," Samsung says on the board, in short bringing to a close any future app releases for the platform and, as a result, any new handsets.
Short on Symbian
Samsung's decision to drop the platform follows a similar move made by Sony Ericsson at the end of September.
As a result, Symbian is left with just one, albeit crucial, major backer as it looks to take on the assault from bada, MeeGo and Windows Phone 7 in the coming months.
The firm's new OS, Symbian^3, has debuted with the launch of Nokia's N8 smartphone.
Meanwhile, Samsung has been busy stressing the importance of Android – Galaxy S and iPad rival GalaxyTab two of its high profile Android devices – and its own format bada, which looks to pool social and development resources together to make life easier for studios.
The firm has also committed to supporting Windows Phone 7, releasing several devices before the end of 2010.