Several programmers Deccan Herald spoke to said Nokia was getting ready to phase out the Symbian software as it had decided to switch to Microsoft�s Windows Phone operating system (WP).

Most app developers work for small companies, which typically employ less than 10 people, and do outsourced application development work. �The end of Symbian is in sight and that has put tremendous pressure on small companies,� said a mid-level Infosys employee. Infosys is working with independent developers to promote Flypp, its mobile application platform.

�They will have to retrain their employees on other platforms such as Google�s Android and Apple�s iOS and lose revenue at least for a few months. This will hit hard many small companies, which barely manage to break even,� he said. �Besides, the uncertainty of doing business on a new platform, they will need at least two years to catch up with other companies already doing business on other platforms,� he added.