HELSINKI, FINLAND: Samsung Electronics hopes to boost its position in smartphones by opening up its software, but analysts doubt it can challenge Apple as the platform favored by application developers.

Samsung, the second largest cellphone maker globally, launched the smartphone platform - called bada - on Tuesday in London and said its strong position in touchscreen devices would help establish it.

Samsung decided to develop its own platform rather than use Symbian, developed by Nokia, or Google's Android to bridge the gap between smartphones and feature phones, said Hosoo Lee, head of the Media Solution Center at Samsung Electronics, said in London.

The focus of the handset market has started to shift to software with Apple and Google entering the market.

Samsung and its local rival LG Electronics, the world's No. 3 handset maker, have been scrambling to make a mark in the fast growing smartphone market.

Ari Virtanen, head of Wireless Solutions at Finnish mobile firm Elektrobit, said: "Unless you have an application and operating system strategy... there is a risk you marginalize yourself as a hardware provider only."

"Bada is needed to fuel the developer community and application creation," Virtanen said.

Samsung and LG have so far relied on selling phones with cameras, and touch screens, but little in the way of extra software and content.

However, Thomas Richter, director of portfolio management Samsung Telecommunications Europe, said he was confident the new platform would give developers features such as connections to social networking sites and flash video technology.

"It will quickly become a major platform in the industry," he said. "Our vision is smartphone for everyone."