Reuters reports that LG Electronics has joined a working group intended to deliver a handset-oriented version of the MeeGo device platform, joining ZTE and China Mobile, potentially providing a new impetus for the platform following Nokia’s decision to adopt Windows Phone for its high-end smartphones. According to Valtteri Halla, a member of the MeeGo technical steering group, the reduced commitment from Nokia is “opening opportunities for others to come in.” It was noted that the presence of the handset number one had “held back other phone makers from adopting the technology.”

According to website Digital Trends, LG has not committed to using MeeGo for handsets, although it is set to use the Linux-based OS for in-car “infotainment” systems. LG, like ZTE, is currently involved in the Android smartphone and tablet market, and was also a launch partner for Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7. In recent weeks there have been questions about the development of the Android ecosystem, against a backdrop of concern about how vendors can differentiate products using the OS. But Nokia’s decision to switch from supporting MeeGo to Windows Phone would indicate that this vendor does not currently believe that the OS is capable of powering high-specification, mass-market smartphones.