Symbian open to further ties with Google

Smartphone software maker Symbian hinted that it could expand its collaboration with Google all the way to the operating system level. Nigel Clifford, Symbian chief executive, told reporters that Symbian "will be happy" to collaborate with Google whenever the opportunity presents itself. He added, "And that could be on the application level or that could be on the more fundamental operating system level." Google applications such as its maps and search engines are currently used by Symbian, of which 47.9 percent is owned by mobile phone giant Nokia. Over 200 million phones run on the Symbian operating system at the moment and Nokia wants to increase that with a bold $410 million plan to buy out the other shareholders of Symbian before making it available, royalty free, to other phone makers.

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