Nokia to buy Trolltech to accelerate software strategy

Stuart Corner
Monday, 28 January 2008 15:22

IT Industry - Deals

Nokia is to acquire Norwegian software company, Trolltech in a move that it says will accelerate the implementation of its cross-platform software strategy for mobile devices and desktop applications, and develop its Internet services business. "With Trolltech, Nokia and third party developers will be able to develop applications that work in the Internet, across Nokia's device portfolio and on PCs," the company said. "Nokia's software strategy for devices is based on cross-platform development environments, layers of software that run across operating systems, enabling the development of applications across the Nokia device range. Examples of current cross-platform layers are Web runtime, Flash, Java and Open C."

Trolltech, however has just joined the LiMo Foundation ,  whose goal is to create the world's first globally competitive, Linux-based software platform for mobile devices, and of which Nokia is not a member: so the deal could deprive this body of an important member.

Welcoming Trolltech to its ranks, LiMo said that Trolltech would contribute strategic components to the LiMo software stack that include "a breakthrough integration of online services and native mobile applications [that] will both speed delivery of LiMo-compliant devices and allow operators to create new, revenue-generating service architectures."

LiMo executive director, Morgan Gillis, said: "[Trolltech] have a very impressive track record in delivering complete device software solutions and their active participation in LiMo Foundation will lower the cost and time to market for device manufacturers using the LiMo platform."

Trolltech had switched its allegiance from a rival body with similar aims, the LiPS Forum, following LiPS decision, to base its user interface framework on Gnome's GTK toolkit in preference to Trolltech's offering. Trolltech CTO, Benoit Schillings, was reported saying the company had decided that LiMo's efforts were more likely to produce a real product before the LiPS initiative. "[LiMo] is a solution based on code, not just a specification."