With the new iPhone set to launch next month, anticipation from consumers is running high and concerns from mobile competitors are also running high. Nokia’s stock is almost 50 percent off of their 52 week highs which the company hit back in November. Analysts are speculating that the new iPhone is going to dominate the smartphone market, putting competing companies on the defensive.

Today’s news that Nokia has acquired Symbian and is opening up the platform for developers is one of those defensive maneuvers. The social web is also getting ready to explode on mobile devices with yesterday’s announcement of Nokia acquiring Plazes, a location based social network. It’s clear that there is now a fierce race to become the dominant player on the mobile social web.

Currently the leading mobile social networks are not the same as the leading web-based social networks, suggesting that this area is still anybody’s game. Yesterday’s acquisition of Plazes by Nokia further highlights this trend ad companies are not holding back in their race to become the dominant force on the mobile social web. It’s an extremely exciting time for mobile and over the next six to twelve months we are going to see an increasing amount of buzz in this area.

It’s time to start placing your bets. Who do you think is going to become the most dominant force on the mobile social web? Who will be the leading mobile social network? Who will become the dominant platform for developers?