Motorola to sell off its Symbian stake

The No. 2 global handset maker said Friday it is selling the stake to fellow Symbian investors Nokia and Psion, in a move that should give Motorola more freedom to work with developers of other operating systems. It will also give Java developers a choice of platforms when they write applications for features such as ring tones and advanced messaging, according to Motorola.

Software products that are based on Linux code are rivals to Symbian in the market for smart-phone operating systems that use 3G networks. These networks provide wireless Internet access that is as fast as a dial-up connection. Microsoft is also a competitor with its Windows-based software, previously known as Smartphone but now being touted under the new Windows Mobile brand.

Read more: CNet News