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Apparently, Nokia isn’t content with just two mobile operating systems.
The Finnish handset giant scooped up Smarterphone, a small Norwegian company that has an operating system designed for more basic cell phones, known in the industry as feature phones. The acquisition was disclosed by Smarterphone’s Nordic investor parent, Ferd Capital.
A Nokia representative confirmed the acquisition but declined to comment further on what it means for the company.
This operating system would sit alongside Microsoft’s Windows Phone platform, which is meant for high-end smartphones, and Nokia’s own Symbian platform, which is now intended for lower-end devices and emerging markets. It’s unclear where Smarterphone’s operating system would fit in Nokia’s product portfolio.
The Smarterphone operating system is designed to allow basic phones with lower-end hardware to feel more like smartphones, Ferd said. The software also allows the company to tailor the software to different markets.
Nokia, which has long led the handset market but now finds itself trailing badly in the faster-growing smartphone business, is in the midst of its turnaround with Windows Phone. The company has already released two Windows Phone devices in select countries around the world, and plans a major launch effort in the U.S. The company is expected to have a big presence at next week’s Consumer Electronics Show.
Updated at 7:12 a.m. PT: to include a response from Nokia.
