Symbian Targets Mass Market Smartphones With New Operating System: "Symbian Targets Mass Market Smartphones With New Operating System

LONDON -(Dow Jones)- Symbian PLC (SYN.YY), the mobile phone operating system developer, Wednesday launched version 9 of its operating system.

Symbian OSv9 will target the mass market for smartphones, the company said, with the aim of producing the advanced phones in higher volumes and a lower cost.

The system will lower licensee development costs and accelerate the time to market for smaller, less expensive and even more capable Symbian-based smartphones. It said the platform is suited to music playing and other digital content, as well as mega-pixel camera phones.

Symbian OSv9 phones are already in development, with product launches anticipated during the second half of 2005, the company said.

Symbian is majority owned by Nokia Corp. (NOK), while Siemens AG (SI), LM Ericsson Telephone Co. AS (ERICY), Sony Corp. (SNE), Samsung Electronics Ltd. (000830.SE) and Matsushita Electrical Industrial Co. (MC) all have minority stakes.

Company Web site: Http://www..com"

Good idea, I personally think Symbian is the way to go with cellphones, its customisable and you can edit things yourself with little programs that give it real value. probably upgrading the OS to be more resistant to the BT viruses that are hitting the industry - which is a shame.