Photos: Nokia unveils N9 - its first MeeGo smartphone

And quite possibly its last...

Nokia announced on Monday the latest addition to its smartphone portfolio, the N9 - the first device to run the MeeGo OS.

Based on Linux, the MeeGo operating system was developed jointly by Nokia and Intel. Earlier this year, Nokia signed a pact with Microsoft to make Windows Phone 7 the OS of choice for Nokia phones, so the N9 is likely to be the only device it produces powered by MeeGo.

With the N9, Nokia has developed three different user interfaces for the home view, as shown above.

The three home views can be alternated depending on whether users want to access social networks, keep up to date with notifications or switch between different activities.

The N9 handset does not feature a home key. Instead, users can navigate to the homescreen by swiping from the edge of the display.

The body of the smartphone is made from a single piece of polycarbonate to boost antenna performance, according to Nokia.

The N9 features a 3.9-inch Amoled screen made from scratch-resistant curved glass, allowing users to watch videos in 16:9 widescreen format.

The camera features an eight-megapixel autofocus sensor, wide-angle lens and HD-quality video capture.

According to Nokia, the N9 is the world's first smartphone to feature Dolby Digital Plus decoding and Dolby Headphone post-processing technology, which means users can experience surround sound with any set of headphones.

The N9 is fitted with near-field communications (NFC), technology, which allows images and videos to be shared by touching devices together and can also be used for contactless payments.

The MeeGo-powered device features a free map app that provides navigational voice guidance for walkers and drivers.

The handset will be sold in three colours - black, blue and red - and comes with storage options of 16GB and 64GB.

The Nokia N9 is due to hit the shops later this year with prices yet to be announced.