According to news around Internet Intel and Nokia are combining their respective Linux operating environments to power future smartphones and tablets. The Intel-Nokia collaboration began in earnest in June when the two companies announced the beginning of a “long-term relationship,” focusing on developing new chip architectures, software, and a new class of Intel-based mobile computing devices. The goal for MeeGo is to put more flesh on the bones of last year’s announcement. The MeeGo software is expected to be released in the second quarter of this year and products are slated to emerge in the second half.
MeeGo project combine two disparate, unwieldy operating environments under one roof. The combined operating systems are Maemo from Nokia and Moblin from Intel. MeeGo will support both Intel and ARM processors. This means that Intel will be now sponsoring a mobile Linux distro which will have ARM as one of it’s main supported processors. The MeeGo will be hosted by the Linux Foundation as an open source project.
At today’s smartphones the biggest players are Symbian, Apple’s iPhone OS, Microsoft’s Windows Mobile, and Google’s Android. The market stress from iPhone OS and Android could have ben part of why Intel and Nokia felt it was necessary to team up. MeeGo is also targeted to devices beyond today’s mobile phones: netbooks, tablets, and televisions.
Both companies stressed that applications that run on Moblin and Maemo will run on top of MeeGo. MeeGo will use Nokia’s Qt application development environment. Using Qt, developers can write once to create applications for a variety of devices and platforms (including Symbian that Nokia also continues to use), and market them through Nokia’s Ovi Store and Intel’s AppUp Center.
MeeGo is supposed to be the result of merging Maemo and Moblin, bringing together the best pieces of those (already quite similar platforms). For example both Maemo and Moblin started off Gtk-based, using the Clutter toolkit on top of Gtk. Now both have switched over to Qt.
40 Comments
Burton Haynes says:
Excellent blog, very useful, I’ll add it to my favorites. Regards
Andrew Pelt says:
Excellent blog, very useful, I’ll add it to my favorites. Regards
Tomi says:
Nokia to use Linux for flagship N-series phones
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE65N20Y20100624
Nokia’s next flagship smartphone, the N8, will be the last N-series phone running Symbian software.
“Going forward, N-series devices will be based on MeeGo,” said Nokia spokesman Doug Dawson.
Tomi says:
Genivi Alliance (BMW, GM, Mitsubishi, Hyundai and Peugeot) are planning to start using Meego operating system on their In-Vehicle Infotainment systems.
Information source:
http://www.tietoviikko.fi/kaikki_uutiset/article478129.ece?s=r&wtm=tietoviikko/-27072010
Arianna Torres says:
we need some smaller and energy efficient microprocessors to support mobile computing :;”
Tomi says:
Nokia CEO Stephen Elop rallies troops in brutally honest ‘burning platform’ memo? (update: it’s real!)
http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/08/nokia-ceo-stephen-elop-rallies-troops-in-brutally-honest-burnin/#
Memo mentions MeeGo:
We have some brilliant sources of innovation inside Nokia, but we are not bringing it to market fast enough. We thought MeeGo would be a platform for winning high-end smartphones. However, at this rate, by the end of 2011, we might have only one MeeGo product in the market.
Tomi says:
Nokia drops first MeeGo phone before launch
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/09/nokia-meego-idUSLDE7180X420110209
Two industry sources close to the company said that Nokia has ended development of its first smartphone using its new MeeGo operating system.
The question is how many other Meego products do they have under development and what happens to them…
Tomi says:
Intel kept in the dark over Nokia’s MeeGo plans; operators reject first device
http://eu.techcrunch.com/2011/02/12/intel-kept-in-the-dark-over-nokia%E2%80%99s-meego-plans-operators-reject-first-device/
Prior to the public announcement on Friday, Intel was kept in the dark with regards to Nokia’s plans to relegate MeeGo to a glorified R&D project, sources with knowledge of the situation tell TechCrunch Europe.
As a result, the first MeeGo smartphone, thought to be the N9-00, has indeed been canned. Instead, a second (and possibly last) MeeGo smartphone on the roadmap – the N9-01 – sans physical keyboard will be pushed out first, as earlier reported by Engadget.
Tomi says:
Intel promises, teases MeeGo smartphone and tablet for MWC
http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/13/intel-promises-teases-meego-smartphone-and-tablet-for-mwc/
Intel may have been the jilted bride left at the altar by Nokia, but it’s not giving up on MeeGo just yet. The above poster has been hung up here in Barcelona, in the area us humble journalists still aren’t in allowed yet, and shows a smartphone and tablet running Intel’s Linux variant as their OS.
Tomi says:
Intel demos MeeGo ‘tablet user experience’
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/02/14/meego_tablet_user_experience/
MWC 2011 Intel has released a video demonstrating the MeeGo mobile operating system on a tablet PC, mere days after Nokia pulled the rug out from under their MeeGo partnership with Intel.
Tomi says:
MeeGo Netbooks and Tablets: Hands-On
Intel says it doesn’t need Nokia for its platform to succeed. But maybe it does.
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2380359,00.asp#
“MeeGo on a netbook is a series of panels with seriously limited functionality: a Firefox Web browser, a media player, email, an IM program, a file browser, and something called MyZone, which is a screen combining social networking updates, calendar items, and tasks. There are very few other, downloadable apps. It really feels like you’ve just taken your powerful netbook and reduced it to the capabilities of a free-with-contract smartphone. The fonts looked big and oddly low-resolution in the browser, and I really couldn’t figure out why anyone would want this when they have a real operating system as an alternative.”
Tomi says:
There are rumors that Nokia is releasing Meego Tablet at
http://www.netbooknews.de/46326/nokia-arbeitet-weiterer-meego-plattform-kommt-nokia-tablet/
The page has some interesting pictures of some Meego roadmap slides.
Tomi says:
http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20110901PD217.html
Intel reportedly plans to back off MeeGo OS
Intel reportedly plans to temporarily discontinue development of its MeeGo OS due to a lack of enthusiasm for the platform from handset and tablet PC vendors. Instead, Intel will focus on hardware products, with its handset platforms to be paired with either Android or Windows Phone in 2012, according to industry sources.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13924_3-20100779-64/meego-os-fading-fast-intel-says-its-still-committed/?tag=cnetRiver
MeeGo OS fading fast? Intel says it’s ‘still committed’
An Asia-based report surfaced today that claims Intel will temporarily halt development of its MeeGo operating system for tablets and smartphones due to lack of interest. Intel, however, says it’s still committed.
The DigiTimes report claimed that Intel plans to “temporarily discontinue development of its MeeGo OS due to a lack of enthusiasm for the platform from handset and tablet PC vendors.”
Instead, Intel will focus on hardware that is paired with either Android or Windows Phone in 2012, according to the report, citing industry sources.
Read more: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13924_3-20100779-64/meego-os-fading-fast-intel-says-its-still-committed/#ixzz1Wn010yiP
Also mentioned at http://www.itviikko.fi/ratkaisut/2011/09/02/hylkaako-myos-intel-meegon/201112351/7?rss=8
Tomi says:
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/09/report-intel-meego-no-go/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wired%2Findex+%28Wired%3A+Index+3+%28Top+Stories+2%29%29
Report: Intel ‘Temporarily’ Halting Meego Development
There may be another victim in the smartphone-strewn battlefield of the mobile OS wars.
Intel’s Meego OS could be dropped from the ranks due to a lack of enthusiasm from smartphone and tablet manufacturers. Industry sources say Intel will instead focus on hardware and turn to Android or Windows Phone 7 as a platform for mobile devices that debut in 2012.
Nokia officially abandoned Meego, and its own Symbian operating system, in favor of Windows Phone 7 in February.
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/02/microsoft-and-nokia-team-up-to-build-windows-phones/
Tomi says:
http://www.dailytech.com/Report+Intel+Ready+to+Put+Final+Nail+in+Meegos+Coffin/article22640.htm
Unconfirmed report says that Intel feels unable to sustain the platform without Nokia’s commitment
If new reports are to be believed, Intel Corp. (INTC) may be preparing to bury Meego only nineteen months after the smartphone, tablet, and laptop OS project was announced.
For a company used to nothing less than sweeping success, this is likely a very painful and unfamiliar situation. Digitimes is reporting that enough may be enough and that Intel is considering suspending development for the platform, in order to focus on delivering hardware for Android and Windows Phone 7 devices.
Tomi says:
http://usa.asus.com/Eee/Eee_PC/Eee_PC_X101/#specifications
Eee PC X101
Colorful and light, right at your fingertips
Wing-shaped inspired design, under 17.6mm
Easy-use MeeGO operating system for real netbook usage
http://www.amazon.com/Asus-X101-EU17-BK-10-1-Inch-Netbook-White/dp/B005L2O3F0/?ie=UTF8&tag=thetecrep08-20
Tomi Engdahl says:
http://www.edn.com/article/519337-Intel_Android_on_x86_phones_TK_in_2012.php
“Meego is still alive and well in embedded and the automotive industry where it’s a major asset for us,” Otellini added.
“We also are working with hardware vendors around the world to optimize [Meego] for tablets and phones,” he said. “There remains a continuing interest among handset makers and carriers to have an additional ecosystem that is open and that is the value proposition for Meego,” he said.
Tomi Engdahl says:
MeeGo will become Tizen, Intel said today. “Intel joined Linux Foundation and LiMo Foundation in support of Tizen, a new Linux-based open source software platform for multiple device categories,” the company said in a statement.
Read more: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13924_3-20112580-64/intel-finds-a-way-to-let-go-of-meego/#ixzz1ZEuiy23z
More information:
https://www.tizen.org/
http://www.tietoviikko.fi/kaikki_uutiset/meego+sai+kuoliniskun++tizen+elaa/a693878?s=r&wtm=tietoviikko/-28092011&
http://www.anandtech.com/show/4888/introducing-the-tizen-project
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/09/27/zombie_linux_merger/
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13924_3-20112580-64/intel-finds-a-way-to-let-go-of-meego/?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20
From Meego to Tizen « Tomi Engdahl’s ePanorama blog says:
[...] Meego to Tizen Meego will will be merged out of existence. MeeGo will become Tizen. Tizen is a software platform and a [...]
Tomi says:
Ex-Nokia staff to build MeeGo-based smartphones
http://www.theverge.com/2012/7/7/3143099/jolla-meego-startup-ex-nokia-employees
A group of ex-Nokia staff and MeeGo enthusiasts has formed Jolla (Finnish for “dinghy”), a mobile startup with the aim of bringing new MeeGo devices to the market. According to its LinkedIn page, Jolla consists of “directors and core professionals from Nokia’s MeeGo N9 organization, together with some of the best minds working on MeeGo in the communities.”
Together with international investors and partners, Jolla Ltd. will design, develop and sell new MeeGo based smartphones.
Tomi says:
Can Jolla Become MeeGo’s Saviour? CEO Plans Two Smartphones Already
http://techcrunch.com/2012/07/10/can-jolla-become-meegos-saviour-ceo-plans-two-smartphones-already/
Last week Nokia released a major software upgrade for the N9, but it’s probably the last upgrade we’ll see. Even then, few people even saw a MeeGo-powered N9, basically the shell of what became the Lumia 800 and 900 devices. So what of the poor neglected MeeGo, the platform that barely existed?
Well, Jolla Mobile – a company without even a website yet – hopes to be its resurrection. In the last couple of days it’s emerged that much of the team inside Nokia’s MeeGo’s development has left to created actual new smartphones based for the platform. A spokesperson has categorically denied to TechCrunch that olla Mobile will get any Intellectual Property Rights from Nokia to achieve this, but, according to the CEO, we will see two – count ‘em – two MeeGo phones appear this year. They are even thinking about entirely new products based on MeeGo.
Tomi says:
Tietokone Blogit Ossi
Haastattelussa Jollan Jussi Hurmola
http://blogit.tietokone.fi/ossi/2012/07/haastattelussa-jollan-jussi-hurmola/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Jolla’s MeeGo UI is ready to go – and it’s on the hunt for mobile talent
http://www.zdnet.com/jollas-meego-ui-is-ready-to-go-and-its-on-the-hunt-for-mobile-talent-7000002728/
Finnish smartphone startup Jolla is scouting out new talent in Finland and China, where Jolla’s CEO Jussi Hurmola reckons its MeeGo OS can tap into the nation’s hunger to make a mark on mobile innovation.
Jolla, the Finnish startup carrying the MeeGo torch, is busy recruiting new staff this week ahead of CEO Jussi Hurmola’s world tour to collect the fragments needed to quickly build up an ecosystem for the mobile OS.
Jolla, which currently employs 50 mostly Nokia castaways, was interviewing 38 potential new hires for Jolla in Finland on Wednesday. Those who make the cut will form part of its target of having 100 Finnish staff by the end of 2012, the soft deadline for the launch of its smartphone based on a MeeGo OS fork.
“We’re having a recruiting day today and we’re hiring lots of engineers from Finland and we’re also looking… to hire people from China, so we are opening our Chinese office soon,” Hurmola told Norse Code.
One source Jolla is looking to for talent are contributors to the Linux-based Mer Project, the core operating system of the MeeGo fork Jolla has chosen to build upon.
The user interface (UI) for its Jolla device is ready to roll, according to Hurmola: “Our UI is ready now, we haven’t released it yet, we will save it for the product launch and the platform is getting up now so the project looks pretty nice.”
The Jolla UI “will be a change from anything existing at the moment,” Hurmola added. “At the time when iOS and Android came, they made a difference and they have been updating and developing their UIs a bit, but we can take a major step forward.”
“MeeGo is independent, so what we do with the app store and cloud services is we invite people into contribute their own business models and technologies into MeeGo. We work together with operators and they can integrate what they have already into the MeeGo ecosystem platform, and we are also supporting them by configuring MeeGo to fit their existing models and technologies,” explained Hurmola.
While Jolla also intends to sell its devices directly to consumers, it also last month it signed a deal with large Chinese retailer D.Phone to sell its devices – a company Hurmola he describes as “major, major customer for us”.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Finnish Jolla Mobile wants to develop a better smartphone, which is now a lot of applications. The company’s secret weapon, has today appeared in the magazine of the 3T-acl-technique for the upcoming MeeGo phone can also be used for Android applications.
CEO Jussi Hurmola does not want to even announce the Android applications support. He reveals, however, 3T-magazine that applications can be converted to Meego with ACL technology. Hurmola says that the smartphone will also support HTML5 and Qt-based applications.
“Our user interface is more modern than the Android and iPhone. They have remained static time point for five years, but can do better, “says Hurmola to 3T Journal.
Source: http://www.3t.fi/artikkeli/uutiset/teknologia/tassa_on_jollan_salainen_ase
Tomi Engdahl says:
ACL™ – Application Compatibility Layer
http://openmobileww.com/products.php
OpenMobile’s Application Compatibility Layer (ACL)™ has the power to transform your platform of choice into a vibrant ecosystem with 450,000+ Apps. ACL performs flawlessly on any operating system (Tizen, MeeGo, Bada, Windows, Linux, etc) and on any device (Smartphones, Tablets, eReaders, Connected TVs, In-Vehicle and In-Flight Infotainment).
Tomi Engdahl says:
Jolla could start a mobile phone assembly in Salo
Jolla company plans to start Meego smartphone production in Salo.
Jolla is the first phone to be published this autumn, so it must be likely to produce in China. Hurmolan the market can offer at contract manufacturers, who are 2-4 months a new phone design to production, so the phones will go on sale next year.
“In China, were sold last year 150 million smartphones. If we could get that percentage, it would mean one and a half million units, “Hurmola drops. “It would be a huge breakthrough Jolla size organization.”
Source: http://suomenkuvalehti.fi/jutut/talous/jolla-saattaa-aloittaa-matkapuhelinten-kokoonpanon-salossa?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
Tomi Engdahl says:
Finnish Jolla swims already in upper waters. Small Startup has attracted worldwide media attention.
No wonder, since MeeGo is a fascinating tragic story: For example, Anssi Vanjoki and CEO Jussi Jolla Hurmolan believes that the world’s best phone, the N9, there will be big in the end result of hard work. Unfortunately, however, far too late; parents interesting newcomer is already ended.
Finns expect – at least subconsciously – a new Nokia Jolla. It is not made. Jolla can still become like Rovio’s growth story.
And does not even feel like Jolla dreams of building an ocean liner: the percentage of the Chinese market a couple of well-enough to the CEO.
Jolla journey is still long even if the wind is fitting.
Source: http://www.tietoviikko.fi/blogit/uutiskommentti/jollasta+ei+tule+nokiaa/a837697?s=r&wtm=tietoviikko/-12092012&
Tomi Engdahl says:
Jolla: The market wants an alternative to iOS and Android
http://gigaom.com/europe/jolla-the-market-wants-an-alternative-to-ios-and-android/
The ex-Nokians are almost ready to reveal their MeeGo-based smartphone, but how are they planning to break into the two-horse mobile race? According to CEO Jussi Hurmola, Jolla has a plan for getting operators and other co-branding partners on board.
Right now, the mobile wars have just two major combatants: Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android. Nokia could yet make Windows Phone a serious third player, but there are also a few more minor actors with the potential to disrupt the market.
Jolla is the most mysterious of those players, which also include Firefox OS and Open WebOS. Jolla (a Finnish word for a small sailing boat) arose from the ashes of Nokia and Intel’s MeeGo project
Meyer: So when’s that phone coming and what will it look like?
Hurmola: We’re going to announce the smartphone later this year. When we announce it, we’ll also say when you can buy it. We’re setting up an ecosystem. You can’t do a smartphone without supporting developers, services, navigation — we are setting all that up.
It’s MeeGo with our own interface, and nice new features and functionality.
We’re also talking about using the MeeGo software in other devices — not just Jolla. We want to make as big a wave as possible.
We’re open to cobranding
I can’t say with whom at the moment. For example – and we’re not saying this is what will happen – ‘Vodafone powered by Jolla’, or ‘Jolla by Louis Vuitton’, or some internet service powered by Jolla. It’s a bit dangerous to talk about it.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Jolla has teamed up with other parties a new Meego alliance in Hong Kong. Jolla’s new coalition Sailfish platform is based on open source systems such as Qt and Merino Core. The new alliance will license the platform in addition to mobile phones, cars and tablets. New licensed Sailfish platform will be announced in spring 2013.
Jolla’s President and CEO Jussi Hurmola believes that China is changing the entire mobile phone industry. ”The next change in the mobile industry will come from China, and we want to be involved in it,” says CEO Jussi Hurmola Jolla. In addition to mobile phones, cars start expanding and tablets.
Source: http://www.3t.fi/artikkeli/uutiset/teknologia/jollan_meegosta_tulee_sailfish
Tomi says:
Finnish mobile phone company Jolla is going to present its new smartphone operating system “Sailfish” in Helsinki next month at Slush event in 21 to 22. November.
More detailed information on Jolla’s first phone release date is expected before Christmas.
Source: http://yle.fi/uutiset/jolla_esittelee_uuden_kayttojarjestelmansa_marraskuussa/6322332
Tomi Engdahl says:
Jolla’s first Meego phone is based according to 3T magazine on a reference circuit boards and integrated software platform. The 4G phone is on the way.
Jolla wants Meego based Sailfish to become third ecosystem to compete with Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android.
Source: http://www.3t.fi/artikkeli/uutiset/teknologia/jollalta_tulee_4g_puhelin_uudella_alustalla
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia MeeGon tarina
http://taskumuro.com/artikkelit/nokia-meegon-tarina
Tomi Engdahl says:
Jolla watch changes as we focus on product delivery. @MarcDillonDotFi is new CEO, @jussihurmola focuses to Sailfish strategy.
Source: https://twitter.com/JollaMobile/status/257777374551232513
Tomi Engdahl says:
Friday appeared Talouselämä says former Nokia employees established Jolla has big plans in China. The company aims to build the third smartphone ecosystem in China around Nokia’s rejected MeeGo operating system. In the new version will be called Sailfish.
Only revealed partner at the moment is D.Phonen mobile phone chain, which has 2,100 stores across China.
“In Finland, in 2014, there are two new billion-dollar companies, one of which iz Jolla,” Chairman Antti Saarnio says to Talouselämä.
Source: http://www.tietoviikko.fi/kaikki_uutiset/jolla+kertoo+talouselamassa+meista+tulee+miljardiluokan+yhtio/a848836?s=r&wtm=tietoviikko/-19102012&
Two new mobile phone companies from Finland « Tomi Engdahl’s ePanorama blog says:
[...] is developing Meego based smarphones. Jolla has big plans in China: it wants to become an alternative to iOS and [...]
Tomi Engdahl says:
Jolla has released Sailfishin – directly supports Android
Sailfish Jolla own OS mobile platform made its debut on Wednesday in Helsinki almost ecstatic spiritual style. In particular, the smooth multi-tasking platform designed to directly support Android applications. Possessing one of the first smart phones will be like by next summer.
“We publish Jolla product by next summer, and we will communicate in the next year, during the first quarter,” Jolla, Sales and founding partner Sami Pienimäki told the computer and 3T interview with the magazine.
On the basis of the user interface navigation Sailfishin reminds Meegoa, but it differs from that with improved multitasking support.
“Android apk apps rotate in this environment directly. No conversion is not, but the operating system itself is able to drive them, “Sami Pienimäki confirmed.
Small minister emphasized the importance Android compatibility, more multi-tasking and the Qt application development tools.
Source: http://www.tietokone.fi/uutiset/jolla_julkaisi_sailfishin_tukee_suoraan_androidia
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia MeeGon tarinan jälkeen (osa 2)
http://taskumuro.com/artikkelit/nokia-meegon-tarinan-jalkeen-osa-2
Tomi Engdahl says:
English version: After the story of Nokia MeeGo (part 2)
http://taskumuro.com/artikkelit/nokia-meegon-tarinan-jalkeen-osa-2,1
Mobile trends and predictions for 2013 « Tomi Engdahl’s ePanorama blog says:
[...] on Linux on mobile devices. Ubuntu now fits in your phone. Firefox OS will come to some markets. Meego is not dead, it resurrects with new names: Samsung will release Tizen based phones. Jolla will [...]
Tomi Engdahl says:
Meego / Meltemi not dead, may metamorphose into a cloud-based Nokia OS in future
http://www.nokiapoweruser.com/2014/08/17/meego-meltemi-not-dead-may-metamorphose-into-a-cloud-based-nokia-os-in-future/
All Nokia fans do remember Meego, the beautiful and promising Nokia’s homegrown OS, that was first and last seen on Nokia N9 before it was considered dead.
Now, if our trusted sources have to believed, it seems Meego or its successor Meltemi which was also scrapped may not be dead after all. Though they may not come back in the form already seen but metamorphose into a “Cloud-based OS solution”. Our sources tell us,
Meego / Meltemi is not dead. CTO ( The central team behind special projects like emerging devics and tech at Nokia ) kept it alive as a special project. 100+ people kept working on this cloud enabled solution built from meego scraps. This team is active since 2011 in US and Finland.
This does make sense as Nokia is planning to venture back into “consumer products and applications”.