Nokia may still join Google's new mobile software alliance, which is seen as rivaling Nokia's own plans."It's not ruled out at all. If we would see this as beneficial, we would think about taking part in it," Kari Tuutti, a representative for Nokia's multimedia unit, said Tuesday. "We should never close any doors."
Web search leader Google said Monday it will enter the mobile phone market, asserting that its planned mobile phone software may boost Web use on handsets but without threatening entrenched players.
Analysts, however, said Google could have the means to disrupt the status quo in the wireless software industry, which is dominated by a handful of large phone makers and regional service providers that often tightly control customer choices.
Google's plans pit it against companies such as Nokia, Microsoft, Apple, and BlackBerry maker Research In Motion.
Nokia owns 48 percent of Symbian, whose operating system is behind almost three-quarters of the world's smartphones.
Google said it will work with some of the world's largest telecom players, including T-Mobile, Qualcomm, and Motorola, to develop an open software platform named Android for mobile devices.
Analysts said the platform could give Google a head start in the burgeoning mobile advertising market, which has been hampered by lack of agreement on standards and handset design.
