Former Nokia Developers say Meltemi was almost ready, create LinkedIn group to share thoughts

A LinkedIn group comprising the recently-axed Nokia Meltemi team has revealed that the feature phone OS was very close to completion when Nokia CEO Stephen Elop pulled the plug on the project. Some of the chatter at the MPD Alumini group, short hand for the Meltemi Product Developer Alumni, suggested that the project had overcome many hurdles. The group currently comprises of over 300 members, of whom some were former members of the project, some are still working at Nokia and some have recently left the company.
The group was set up by Eckhart Köppen, currently principle engineer of software development at Nokia and his LinkedIn profile also says that he is looking for new opportunities. Understandably a lot frustration can be gathered from the comments section of the group, with the former developers feeling aggrieved over the way the project was handled.
The comments also reveal that the group was based out of Germany and the project was called off sometime in mid-February. Meltemi was supposed to replace Nokia’s aging S40 feature phone platform. As of now, there is no word on what the company plans for the low-end of the market, but we have already seen some elements of a new UI in the Asha Touch series of feature phones which are expected in Q3 of 2012.
Some comments are really heart wrenching.

I really couldn’t agree more with all of this. The team we had and its spirit was amazing. Everyone helping everyone we solved each and every issue over time. For me actually this was the amazing everyday. And we would have made it if we were allowed to. So it’s once again: Close, but no cigar…

I’ve been around for a while in Nokia, and seen many ups and downs, many consultations. But this was a team that really Melted Me, both in terms of passion and enthusiasm and “never ever giving up” but also in terms of my employment for Nokia. I thought we counted. What a naive thought. Trust – melted. Joy – melted. Passion to deliver for this company – melted. No idea how to bring those back again. And again, and again. If given a chance – which I doubt.