Foreword by Nokia

Foreword
by Nokia

The era of mobility is upon us. Mobile phone sales are approaching a half billion units a year and climbing. The smartphone is already playing a key role in helping consumers manage their personal and professional lives.

An increasing number of mobile devices provide consumers with rich media and data services as well as voice communications. An equally impressive collection of enablers, such as built-in cameras , high-resolution color displays, streaming media and a level of memory capacity once reserved for PDAs, give developers the ability to build increasingly more sophisticated wireless applications. Mobile versions of Java and C++ provide a rich development environment for creating innovative consumer and business applications.

Programming for mobile devices has traditionally been a time and labor intensive exercise because the technology in each device is different, and device lifecycles are difficult to predict. The Series 60 Platform changes the economies of scale of mobile development by providing a standards-based development environment for a broad array of smartphones.

The Series 60 Platform provides a common screen size , a consistent user interface, a Web browser, media player, calendar, SMS, MMS and common APIs for Java MIDP and C++ programmers. It is also based on the Symbian OS, the only operating system built from the ground up for the special needs of smart mobile devices.

The Series 60 Platform was designed from the outset to be a powerful and robust platform for third-party applications. There are already 2,000 Symbian applications on the market ”from 3D action games for the N-Gage mobile game deck, to photo editing software, to utilities for reading books on the go. These applications appeal to consumers and business users alike in imaginative and innovative ways.

The Series 60 Platform is smartphone software licensed by terminal manufacturers such as Matsushita (Panasonic), Nokia, Samsung, Sendo and Siemens. Combined, these players constitute 60% of the worldwide mobile handset market. The Series 60 Platform defines most of the features and functionality in Series 60 devices developed by Nokia and other Series 60 licensees , but some devices may include additional features to appeal to specific consumer segments.

This platform lets developers shine with a complete, flexible programming environment that is capable of serving the diverse needs of application programmers. The near-universal Java MIDP platform supports portable applications deployable to a wide range of devices. The native Series 60 C++ programming environment is the perfect platform for optimized applications, providing a rich programming API and large address space. And access to tools and resources could not be easier: Nokia and its licensees provide free access to the programming SDKs and documentation.

The Series 60 Developer Platform defines the common, relevant and visible interface to the technology enablers and APIs, and details how they are implemented in the Series 60 Platform. The Series 60 Developer Platform covers multiple devices (even if new Series 60 Platform releases with added features have been introduced), thereby resulting in a large installed base of devices with a common set of enablers and APIs.

The mobile market and its leading-edge technologies offer great opportunities for Series 60 developers, but getting started can seem daunting for developers who have spent years working with other operating systems. Forum Nokia has been assisting developers in learning about Symbian OS and Series 60 development since its inception. Developing Series 60 Applications , part of the Nokia Mobile Developer Series, is a further commitment by Nokia to support the Series 60 developer.

Developing Series 60 Applications is the most comprehensive reference on Series 60 Platform ever written, walking readers through their very first steps, and then building upon that knowledge to help them create more sophisticated applications. Every aspect of the Series 60 Platform is covered, from unique and powerful user interface components , through communication APIs and multimedia capabilities. The fundamentals of the Series 60 application engine are detailed, as well as best practices for testing and debugging Series 60 applications. Last but not least, over fifty complete projects, with C++ source code and installation scripts are included to help developers jump-start their own projects.

Developing Series 60 Applications draws upon the expertise of EMCC Software Ltd., a Series 60 Competence Center. Authors Leigh Edwards and Richard Barker and the staff at EMCC bring many years of experience and a wealth of expertise in working with the Series 60 Platform and the Symbian operating system.

Using this book as a guide, developers will be armed with the knowledge they need to create world-class applications for todayEDs most exciting applications market.

Good reading and happy coding.

Pertti  Korhonen
Executive  Vice  President,
Nokia  Mobile  Software