Nokia will start shipping its first product based on the MeeGo operating system in 2011

new CEO Stephen Elop confirmed during a conference call on Thursday.

Elop, who became Nokia's CEO on Sept. 21, likes what he has seen of MeeGo since he took over the company, but it is clear that the product will arrive next year, he said, without going into any product details. Elop said one change he will make at the company is to start talking about new smartphones closer to the actual launch.

The MeeGo OS, announced in February, merges Intel's Moblin and Nokia's Maemo Linux-based OSes. Nokia and Intel hope that advanced smartphones, netbooks, connected TVs and tablet computers will all use the OS.

In February, Nokia stated the first devices will launch in 2010. Partner Intel had already said that the first MeeGo-based smartphones and tablets will arrive in 2011.

Developers and others who want to learn more about MeeGo should head to Dublin between Nov. 12 and 15, and attend the MeeGo Conference 2010.