Symbian releases open mobile platform

Symbian has released its open mobile software platform, which it said will help drive the development of next-generation mobile phones.

Symbian platform v6.0 includes support for SMS, Wap, HTML and Bluetooth technologies. It also contains secure socket layer and secure HTML security support. Symbian has also launched two reference designs for mobile devices, codenamed Crystal and Quartz.

The joint venture between Psion, Motorola, Panasonic, Nokia and Ericsson has already licensed its software platform v6.0 to handset manufacturers but has now made it available to the public.

The Crystal reference design is for mobile phone devices with keyboards and colour screens, and is targeted at the mobile professional market. Quartz is for pen-driven devices with a colour screen, and includes messaging applications such as email, fax and SMS, a jotter, contacts, web and wireless application browsing.

Colly Myers, chief executive of Symbian, said: "Symbian's goal is to set standards and create a mass market for wireless information devices. Voice is still the killer application at the heart of these devices, and with our open software platform we're driving the development of next-generation mobile phones by enabling third-party companies to deliver additional applications, services and content."

The commitment of Symbian's backers has come under constant scrutiny, with Nokia and Motorola striking deals with rival operating system vendor Palm. Earlier this year Symbian also lost a key executive to rival Microsoft.

Products based on the platform v6.0 are expected to ship during the first half of next year, with Nokia announcing that it will use the v6.0 platform to build its first Symbian-based products. Ericsson released the first Symbian-based phone, the R380, this year.

Symbian also said today that it has licensed Nokia's Wap browser technology for commercial use. The alliance will include Nokia's technology with its mobile phone software platform.