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Topic: Mobility

Jolla folks escape burning platform, revealing new MeeGo smartphone this year

Summary: MeeGo was killed off by Nokia just after launch, but is being picked up by several ex-Nokia employees through a new company, Jolla.

Matthew Miller

By for Smartphones and Cell Phones |

I reviewed the Nokia N9 MeeGo smartphone last year and then while I was at Nokia World I purchased my own because I saw evidence of active software support. N9 owners just received the PR 1.3 update last week, but even we likely won't see much more support in the future as MeeGo was dropped by Nokia. Great news for MeeGo fans came yesterday when it was reported by The Verge that ex-Nokia employees are going to build MeeGo-based smartphones. The new company is called Jolla (Finnish for dinghy which might just be a reference to escaping the burning platform) and is led by Chief Operating Officer Marc Dillon, who was the principal engineer for MeeGo.

Unfortunately, since Jolla is not affiliated with Nokia we won't see development for the N9 or N950 from them, but maybe some savvy developers will be able to help us out moving forward. I really enjoy using my N9 and MeeGo, but there are some key applications missing that I have on Android and I keep having to go back to Android. I see you can actually hack Ice Cream Sandwich on the N9 and given that the hardware is slick I may just have to do that soon.

The Jolla team is making aggressive statements regarding their MeeGo development. CEO Jussi Hurmola stated that they will be revealing a MeeGo-based smartphone later this year. They have been working on this project and the OS since the end of 2011 so for those of you who are looking for an alternative mobile operating system this is one to keep an eye on.

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Topics: Mobility, Mobile OS, Nokia

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6 comments
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  • Thank goodness!

    there is someone working on an alternative OS. I hope they get it right, because being stuck with Android, iOS and Windows Phone does not sit well with me. I was watching out for Meego with interest, although not too seriously. Now that the mobile OS world has entered a state of duuuuuuuuuuuuuh! I think I will be very glad to migrate from Windows Mobile to Meego
    12312332123
    Reply 3 Votes

  • MeeGo , The New Hope

    Yes, it's about time to see a refreshing OS other than iSO and Android ...
    I have been using my N9 ( MeeGo ) since it's first day launch in Singapore ( Oct 2011 ) and loves it til today . The MeeGo has such an easy ( user friendly) , comfortable UI ... all you need is swipe and tap , and vice versa .. tap and double tap and that's all !
    I also have iPhone 4 and HTC One X , and BB 8700 ( not so sure about the future of RIM .. it looks very bad at this point of time ) , won't say which OS gives you everything ..all have pros and cons !?
    Anyway , it's glad to know MeeGo has a future ( stupid Enlop !) , competition is good ( for consumers ) !
    Go Go MeeGo .
    michaelfan58
    Reply 2 Votes

  • Two is enough

    We've had other mobile OSes before, and the market doesn't have room to support them commercially. I suspect that most people are going to choose between Android and iOS with Windows Phone being the potential third choice for folks who can't back the top two. If there are any more OSes than that, developers and customers won't support them to any degree that allows them to make money...it would just be a labor of love.
    the.ksmm
    Reply Vote

  • What are they trying to prove?

    Are these guys trying to prove that MeeGo is really a burning platform? Maybe it would work as some niche product but for mainstream use it is a waste of effort. Just look how hard it is for MS & Nokia to get any significant market share with their Windows Phones which are nice phones by the way.
    paul2011
    Reply 3 Votes

    • Innovation always wins out

      It's MS and Nokia who are trying to prove that WP is attractive - the problem from them is that the Meego-powered N9 is actually a better phone OS, so the guys at Jolla are pushing against an open post-iOS door... the question is whether they are able to get the UI feel 'right' on their first couple of handsets, before WP takes on Meego characteristics, which it surely will.
      acklamjc
      Reply Vote

  • collaboration:

    guess it would be a great option to bring under the same umbrella free folks from Jolla, the Maemo and the Mer communities, open webOS, Mozilla and even Canonical to create a real strong, independent alternative to Android (which it's getting better and better). Apple has got its own world, and there's no way for RIM and Windows Phone to break Google's os kingdom.
    I think too many flavors won't help to succeed and this is not about desktop linux distros. Mobile needs something concrete, developers would develop for and OEMs would invest for.
    No matter will be the name Jolla, Meego or Ubuntu or whatsoever, it is important to have an open platform where to refer and address thousands people work.
    sgamao
    Reply Vote
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