Symbian targets enterprises with tougher OS

Symbian has unveiled the latest version of its operating system, promising increased security and better support for music and gaming.

The firm's OS v9 supports the latest generation of ARM processors and uses ARM's RealView compiler to improve the performance of gaming and multimedia applications. Handsets running the OS are expected in the second half of this year.

Peter Bancroft, vice president of marketing communications at Symbian, told vnunet.com: "Clearly the target at this moment is the Christmas market. We can now support any size of megapixel camera."

The revamped OS also supports Bluetooth stereo headsets and advanced audio mixing. The addition of a digital rights management framework and added security aims to encourage operators to offer mobile commerce.

In order to better protect against malware, only applications with specific permissions can perform tasks such as making calls, sending SMS or accessing personal information on the phone.

Bancroft stated that the aim of the new OS is to allow manufacturers to target specific content types, such as gaming or music, to an audience with a device which matches it, and to help mobile operators push these non-voice services.

Symbian has also improved the platform's device management framework to allow network operators and IT managers to deploy applications or diagnose problems over the air.

"We think we've gone a long way towards getting over the hurdles to enterprise adoption," said Bancroft.

According to IDC more than 130 million smartphones will be sold globally each year by 2008, 15 per cent of the total mobile phone market.