The Symbian consortium has bought out Origin UK’s Advanced Technology Group to develop software and microprocessor reference designs for their wireless information devices. Symbian says it will retain all of the Science Park, Cambridge-based unit and expects the team to strengthen the company’s ties with other Cambridge-based firms such as ARM Holdings Ltd.
Peter Young from Origin UK refused to disclose how much Symbian had paid for the R&D team and Cambridge office. He explained that Origin UK had been in negations with Symbian for some time over the R&D team. The group previously developed ‘in-product software’ for the UK arm of the Dutch services company Origin BV – concentrating on firmware for mobile phones.
However, Young said, the area the group was working in was a little bit outside the main focus of the services firm which works on integrating enterprise systems, managing desktops and mainframes and legacy systems, so the deal was struck with Symbian.
