Samsung and Intel have announced a new open source OS for mobile phones, effectively killing off the MeeGo platform.
MeeGo has had something of an unfortunate life. It started life as a bringing together of Linux-based platforms Maemo and Moblin and was backed by Nokia, Intel and Samsung.
That was until Nokia pulled out of supporting the OS, leaving only Samsung and Intel to bring up the baby.
This week, a new open source project was announced – codenamed Tizen OS. This is based on HTML5 and supports (like MeeGo) multiple devices, including smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, netbooks and in-vehicle infotainment systems.
It is set to be released in 2012 and "combines the best open source technologies from LiMo and The Linux Foundation."
Future belongs to HTML5
In a blog to members of the MeeGo community, the Linux foundation explains its reasoning for not developing MeeGo further. This is despite Intel claiming earlier this month that it was still "fully committed" to MeeGo.
"We believe the future belongs to HTML5-based applications, outside of a relatively small percentage of apps, and we are firmly convinced that our investment needs to shift toward HTML5," the blog explained.
"Shifting to HTML5 doesn't just mean slapping a web runtime on an existing Linux, even one aimed at mobile, as MeeGo has been. Emphasiaing HTML5 means that APIs not visible to HTML5 programmers need not be as rigid, and can evolve with platform technology and can vary by market segment."
The transition from MeeGo to Tizen will take place over the next few months and it is hoped that those involved with MeeGo will embrace this new HTML5-loving platform.
It now makes sense why the first-MeeGo smartphone, the Nokia N9, won't be coming to the UK.
Via Engadget
