Samsung extends hand to Symbian studios, asks them to support bada

Consumers in the west might be forgiven for thinking that, after much noise in the run up to its debut, Samsung's bada platform ultimately proved to be a fruitless exercise.

Nonetheless, while bada might not yet be competing with Android and iOS at the top table, Samsung said back in December that it intends to sell 10 million handsets in the first half of 2011.

Clearly, Samsung believes such a target will make bada a valid platform for app developers, with the firm taking time out to email Symbian studios to ask for their support.

Best on bada

Attempting to take advantage of Nokia's recent deal with Microsoft that will see Windows Phone 7 become the Finnish firm's primary smartphone platform in the coming months Samsung has claimed Symbian developers can find a more stable home on bada.

"If you are a Symbian developer unhappy about Nokia's recent announcements, and are hence looking for a new platform to showcase your talents, we say 'Hello!' and 'Welcome to bada!'," the email reads, according to Mobile Entertainment.

"If you're new to the bada development, or are moving your app from Symbian, we'd like to welcome you with the 'Quick guide to bada development'. In about 15 minutes, you can learn how to build your first bada app!"

Samsung itself used to be a notable Symbian supporter, officially dropping support for the OS in October just a few months after the first bada handsets hit the shelves.

[source: Mobile Entertainment]