I have previously blogged about the quantity and quality of features that the community is planning for Symbian^3, but how about Symbian^4?. Let’s have a recap on where we are today!
Symbian^3 is almost there
Symbian^3 is nearing Functionally Complete (FC is in Q1 2010, likely to be February) and the contributions have come fast and thick over the last month. Of the 43 package feature tracked in the integration plan for Symbian^3, 30 have already been contributed to the foundation code line. These are:
- Multipage Homescreen – Provide multiple home screen supports
- 3PC – Bearer mobility support in 3PC and adoption
- WDP – Proven Writeable Demand Paging platform support
- HD video – Support for files of over 2GBs that will enable HD video
- One-click connectivity – Simpler connection dialogue that requires one click only
- Song recognition and music store integration with radio application
- Remote contact look-up – plug-in framework to allow easy integration of remote contact look-up
You should expect all of them to be included in the S^3 PDK3.0.f (planned for week03). In addition, QT for Symbian is now available from the foundation repositories under LGPL and it will be included in future PDKs (Product Development Kits).
Symbian^4 is ramping up
So Symbian^3 is progressing nicely, and at the same time Symbian^4 is starting to build up a substantial contribution plan with already 60 Package Features.
Symbian^4 is mainly known for the complete overhaul of the UI environment, but today I would like to highlight the ISB ECAM contribution plan.
It will provide the capability to use a PC development environment (and consequently a better debugging experience) for camera applications, which until now can only be tested using a production hardware. But I am also interested on the 3 reasons for contributions that Shohei Yoshida gives:
- “To raise the company’s profile [...] to the Japanese market as well as global markets”
- “To promote our vertical integration business”
- “To aim ISB’s Symbian distribution [...] a Japanese version of the SDK”
It is a great example on how a member is contributing in order to fulfill their own need and it is leading to a better solution that will benefit the whole community.
It would be so cool if I could get Symbian^3 on my N97 in a couple of weeks
Crim: unfortunately that’s not very likely. The ability to create phone updates lies solely with each phone manufacturer; you would have to sign any firmware you built with Nokia’s key, which I suspect they would rather not give you.
However, you may be able to take pieces, such as individual applications, extend them, and install them to add more, or replacement functionality.
However, saying that, Nokia have been backporting features from Symbian^2 and Symbian^3 into their Symbian^1 devices.
Feel free to drop by the developer forums if you have any questions.
[...] information can be had here: http://blog.symbian.org/2010/01/07/progress-on-the-symbian3-and-symbian4-contribution-plans/ This entry is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 [...]
i am wondering what is “minimum hardware requirment ” for Symbian^3 / symbian^4 . i mean how well do they run on now standard 600mhz processors or do the need better hardware ?
neeeeeeeeeeeed on my Nokia 5800 !!!
I wonder if the NFC related features are going to be included in Symbian^3 as planned
Could someone tell me if its possible that I get Symbian^3 on my Samsung i8910?
@JCSD: see my response above.
Will it be possible to get Symbian 3 for the new nokia e72?
LoL just read the second reaction, don’t expect good support from Nokia, Samsung or SE. We will all be stuck on Symbian^1
No, don’t look at it that way. A manufacturer would be taking a huge risk in introducing new software on old devices – they may take advantage of parts which are easy to bring back into the old version, but it probably makes more sense for them to focus on new devices with the new software.
I can’t speak for manufacturers though – maybe they will surprise us!
[...] يمكن معرفة المزيد على الإصدار الثالث من نظام Symbian من خلال المدونة الرسمية له [...]
Wow, this is becoming news and I am being quoted. Please note I am not a spokesperson for the Symbian Foundation, and my opinions, helpful or correct as they may or may not be, are my own!
[...] contact look-up – plug-in framework to allow easy integration of remote contact look-up More Progress on the Symbian^3 and Symbian^4 contribution plans Symbian Blog [...]
[...] يمكن معرفة المزيد على الإصدار الثالث من نظام Symbian من خلال المدونة الرسمية له [...]
[...] system, accounting for 50% of smartphone sales according to Wikipedia. The Symbian Blog posting Progress on the Symbian^3 and Symbian^4 contribution plans tells the quantity and quality of features that the community is planning for Symbian^3 mobile [...]
@Craig then I don’t get why HTC CAN do it with the Android devices, they upgrade them all the time…
@Crim: /Nokia/ can do it – when the platform is open source later this year, it doesn’t necessarily mean that /you/ can build a new firmware for the phone.
[...] plans Symbian^3 is nearing Functionally Complete (FC is in Q1 2010, likely to be February) Source Progress on the Symbian^3 and Symbian^4 contribution plans Symbian Blog I wonder what that Symbian countdown will show ? I hope V3^ [...]
[...] been contributed to the foundation and will be getting richer in features and content not only in Symbian^4 but also in the Symbian^3 time [...]
[...] Organizerは非常に能動的で、あなたの思いどおりのパッケージです。このOrganizerパッケージは、Symbian Foundationにコントリビューションされました。これにより、さらに豊富な機能やコンテンツをSymbian^4だけでなくSymbian^3にもたらすことが可能になります。 [...]
[...] answer to the big question? I dont know but there be some interesting answers under the comments Progress on the Symbian^3 and Symbian^4 contribution plans Symbian Blog [...]
[...] been contributed to the foundation and will be getting richer in features and content not only in Symbian^4 but also in the Symbian^3 time [...]
[...] Symbian Foundation е в напреднала фаза от подготовката на новите версии Symbian^3 и Symbian^4 на мобилната си операционна система, като версия 3 вероятно ще бъде завършена през февруари. Официално Symbian^3 и Symbian^4 се очаква да се появят през първото тримесечие на 2010 г. и в края на годината, съответно, стана ясно от корпоративния блог. [...]
can someone tell the Symbian org, please add 3D animation, widgets, icon, transition to the Symbian OS. Please. I can not post anywhere, if anyone see this please post to somewhere so Symbian organization know. Symbian need 3D graphic to lighting up the OS. It look depress and so 1999. OS need to impress with Graphic improvement.
I read somewhere that Nokia are not releasing any phones on S^2, S^3 is too much for N97 for obvious reasons, so my question or suggestion to nokia is upgrade the N97 to S^2 rather than back porting features which is clearly not working, we’ve had a couple of updates now but the same problems are still present.