Nokia could drop Symbian for Maemo on N-series

Nokia could drop Symbian for the Maemo Linux operating system on its flagship N-series handsets by 2012, according to Maemo marketing staff.

A report published on Wednesday on The Really Mobile Project quotes Maemo staff from an event last night in London. The 'meet-up' was organised to celebrate the N900 smartphone, which runs Maemo and is likely to launch in the UK within weeks.

According to the report, Nokia does not intend to phase out Symbian completely. The company is a prime backer of the Symbian Foundation, an industry group that is in the process of open-sourcing the venerable operating system.

This may suggest that Symbian will be relegated to Nokia's enterprise-focused E-series range, with Maemo powering the Finnish manufacturer's consumer-oriented handsets.

ZDNet UK has asked Nokia for confirmation of its plans for the N-series, but had received none at the time of writing.