Nokia develops a new browser for Series 60 platform

Nokia announced that it is using best-of-breed open source software as the basis of a new mobile browser for its world-leading smartphone software, the Series 60 platform.

The new browser aims at an unparalleled user experience when browsing full webpages on a smartphone screen – over wireless connections with the top performance in the mobile industry.

The flexibility and extensibility of the new browser will allow Series 60 licensees to further innovate and customize the browser, for example, to meet their operator customer’s needs.

A key component of this development has been Nokia’s cooperation with Apple, as the Series 60 browser will use the same open source components, WebCore and JavaScriptCore, that Apple uses in its popular Safari Internet browser.

Based on KHTML and KJS from KDE’s "Konqueror" open source project, this software has enabled Safari to achieve industry-leading features and performance.

Nokia intends to continue its collaboration with Apple and actively participate in the open source community to further develop and enhance these components, contributing Nokia’s expertise in mobility.

By adapting WebCore and JavaScriptCore components for its smartphone platform, Nokia and other Series 60 licensees will be able to provide a rich Web browsing experience that takes full advantage of today’s fast wireless networks and advanced mobile devices.

According to the "Smartphone360" study – Nokia-conducted consumer research among Series 60 smartphone users – over 50 percent of data traffic was generated by browsing.

"Nokia is excited to enrich Series 60 with optimized mobile Web browsing. Open source software is an ideal basis for development since it enables Nokia to leverage and contribute to speedy software innovation and development," said Pertti Korhonen, Nokia’s chief technology officer.

"As a result, the entire Series 60 value chain, from manufacturers and operators to end-users, will benefit from the flexible architecture, full Web compliance and a truly enjoyable user experience," he added.

"Open source development also enables close cooperation with the industry’s best innovators, such as Apple. Both Apple and Nokia share a commitment to Internet standards and the use of a common code. The unified and compatible browser base will offer a very compelling choice for Web content developers," Korhonen said.

"Apple is pleased to assist Nokia in creating its new Series 60 browser based on the same KHTML open source technology that powers Apple’s Safari," said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president for worldwide product marketing. 

"The Safari Web Kit’s blazing performance, efficient code base and support for open standards make it an ideal open source technology for projects like Nokia’s new Series 60 browser," he added.

The new Series 60 browser will be available to all Series 60 licensees as a standard Series 60 application during the first half of 2006.

The browser will support all features of the current Series 60 browser as well as being enhanced with increased performance and exciting new features.

The Series 60 Platform, built on the Symbian OS, is the leading smartphone platform in the world.

It is licensed by some of the foremost mobile phone manufacturers in the world, including LG Electronics, Lenovo, Nokia, Panasonic, Samsung, Sendo and Siemens.