Symbian to continue long after Windows debuts on Nokia phones

Nokia said it would continue to sell smartphones using its legacy Symbian software for a long time after the first phones using Microsoft Windows hit the market.

Symbian is to be phased out over the coming two years to make way for Microsoft's Windows Phone. The plan was announced last month raising concerns about Nokia dropping Symbian phones too early, as though the phones lose market value they continue to generate profits.

In an open letter to developers published yesterday, Purnima Kochikar, head of developer relations at Nokia said: "We will be selling (Symbian) devices long after Windows Phone devices from Nokia have already started to appear."

Nokia has promised it would introduce the first models using the Windows Phone platform at the latest in 2012.

However, the company has not specified how long it would continue to offer Symbian.

Meanwhile, Windows Phone 7 owners in the UK would have to wait until next week to update their handsets with Microsoft's "NoDo" (no doughnuts) software version which adds several features most importantly cut and paste.