Nokia shows off first open source Symbian handset

The first device based on the fully open source version of Symbian emerged from Nokia’s development facilities this week.

The N8 boasts advanced features offered by Symbian^3, including single tap and multi touch gestures, multiple home screens, and multitasking. Naturally, social networking is a big feature, with users able to update their status, share their location and photos, and view live feeds from Facebook and Twitter from the home screen. Free global Ovi Maps walk and drive navigation also comes as standard.

Could it be that the N8 is the next generation flagship model promised before mid-2010 by Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo late last year? It will certainly be received with interest as a showcase of what can be done since Symbian decided to go open source in 2009.

In terms of hardware, the N8 introduces a 12 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, Xenon flash and HD-quality video. The N8 is also the first device on which the Qt development platform is also included out of the box, paving the way for developers to get their creations on the first S^3 device.

The N8 will be available in select markets during the third quarter of 2010 for €370 before taxes or subsidies.