BARCELONA: Computer security expert Eugene Kaspersky predicted that Google's Android smartphone operating system will come to dominate the market, reducing Apple and BlackBerry to niche players.

Kaspersky, who founded the leading anti-virus firm Kaspersky Lab, said there is only "one company, one operating system which follows Microsoft's strategy of the 1990s" when its Windows computer operating system became dominant on personal computers.

Nokia, which had difficulties mounting a response to the rise of Android and Apple's iPhone, announced last week it was phasing out Symbian and switching to Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 smartphone operating system.

Russian security vendor Kaspersky Lab has released new versions of its security software for mobile devices to cover Android and the BlackBerry OS.

Android also support Kaspersky's antivirus functions.

The Windows and Symbian versions also support encryption and parental control features. Kaspersky's software covers Symbian^3 or Series 60 devices running Symbian 9.1 through 9.4. Windows Mobile devices covered are version 5.0 through 6.5. Kaspersky's Mobile Security 9 covers Android versions 1.6 through 2.2, and BlackBerry 4.5 through 6.0.

According to Kaspersky's Web site, Mobile Security 9 sells for US$29.95 on its Web site.