Intel and Nokia announced that they are merging Moblin and Maemo software platforms to create new MeeGo software platform. The merger will create a unified Linux-based platform that will run on multiple hardware platforms and multiple processor architectures across a wide range of computing devices including netbooks, tablets and phones.

MeeGo offers the Qt application development environment and builds on the Moblin core operating system and reference user experience. Using Qt, developers can write once to create applications for a variety of devices and platforms. Apps for MeeGo platform will be sold through Nokia’s Ovi Store and Intel AppUpSM Center depending on hardware platform.

MeeGo will follow open source development model and will be hosted by the Linux Foundation. The first release of MeeGo is expected in the second quarter of 2010 with devices launching later in the year.