Nokia to add swiping to Symbian smartphone armoury

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Nokia, the world's largest maker of mobile phones, will add swiping and wireless identification features in updates to its new line of Symbian smartphones to compete with Google's fast-developing Android platform.

Near-field communication, which permits users to use their phones as credit cards, transit passes and hotel-room keys, will come to "some existing devices" early next year, says Jo Harlow, senior vice-president for smartphones at the Finnish company.

"In the past if you bought a device, you got one or two software updates," she said. "We will now begin to deliver software updates more frequently and more of them."

New chief executive Stephen Elop last month unveiled plans to cut 1800 jobs globally in areas including in smartphones as Nokia moves to a common Symbian development path and shares some functions with the MeeGo high-end device platform it is developing with Intel. The process is being streamlined as Nokia absorbs former Symbian Foundation activities.

- BLOOMBERG