When we think of Nokia smartphones Symbian naturally comes to mind as the OS Nokia uses for its devices. Symbian is an open source OS that also is found on non-Nokia devices as well. Nokia may be looking to other operating systems to improve the popularity of its smartphones.

According to reports, Nokia is planning to launch a smartphone that runs the Google Android operating system. That seems a bit hard to believe for many of us. Nokia switching smartphone OS’ would be sort of like Apple launching a MacBook with Window’s pre-installed.

With most open source OS’ being relatively unpopular for use in notebooks, perhaps as Gigaom reports, the rumor is more likely to be an Android-powered netbook to use those Intel chips that Nokia is getting access to with its new Intel partnership. If Android does make it onto a Nokia smartphone, I doubt that Symbian will disappear. The mobile phone giant has too large an investment in Symbian to ditch the OS.

[via Gigaom]