Will browser applications for Series 60 Platform 3rd Edition run on devices based on earlier editions? Answer - Yes. Questions like this and many others that you may have about Series 60 are now available in a new document titled Series 60 Platform: Frequently Asked Questions

This new document available from Forum.Nokia provides an excellent introduction to the main aspects of Series 60 Platform from the developer point of view. It covers all the platform editions including 3rd Edition, providing the reader with aspects of available tools, and pointers to further information. The document is a must read (and print out!) for anyone that owns or is thinking of owning a Series 60 device. Of particular interest, the document provides a clear description of the evolution of Series 60 as well as pointing out the specific features available in each edition.

The Series 60 Architecture (Source: Forum.Nokia)

Some snippets from the document:

What is the Series 60 Platform?

The Series 60 Platform is designed to serve the widest consumer audience through mass-market devices while also allowing extremely focused consumer device segmentation in areas such as enterprise, entertainment, personal productivity and gaming.

What Are The General Features?

Most devices based on the Series 60 Platform feature:
- Minimum 176 x 208-pixel color screen.
- Innovative form design and keypad layout.
- Digital camera.
- Advanced telephony features.
- Messaging.
- Internet browsing.
Several Series 60 devices also feature:
- Music player.
- Personal information manager (PIM) applications (such as Contacts and Calendar).
- Media Gallery.
- Video recorder.
- Sound recorder.
- FM Radio.

Which OS is required for Series 60 3rd edition?

Series 60 Platform 3rd Edition has been developed specifically to run on Symbian OS 9.1

What kind of APIs are now available in the Series 60 3rd edition?

The following APIs are included in the Base Software for Series 60 Platform 3rd Edition:
- Location APIs (including Landmark API, Landmark UI APIs, Landmark Search API, BLID appl. API)
- Web Services APIs (including WS Connection API, WS Description API, WS Manager API, XML Extensions API)
- SIP APIs
- S60 OMA DRM v2 API
- OMA Datasynch 1.2 API
- MMF DRM API
- Back light control API
- IM API
- IM Application Launch API
- Bluetooth 1.2 Support
- Exif API
- Find Item API
- Accessory API
- Security and Trust Services API (JSR 177)
- Java Location API (JSR 179)
- SIP API (JSR 180)
- Wireless Messaging API (WMA) 2.0 (JSR 205)
- Scalable 2D Vector Graphics API (JSR 226)
- Advanced Multimedia Supplements - including 3D & music (JSR 234)

The following lead software is provided on Series 60 Platform 3rd Edition:
- Music Player
- Macromedia Flash
- Stand-alone apps, skins
- OMA DRM 2.0
- New content formats
- Support for MS ActiveSync
- Support for Windows Media Player mpeg formats and MS DRM codecs
- Email synch (local and remote/OTA) based on OMA data synch 1.2, email filtering and time zone support for calendar
- Rich Push email (IMAP/POP, OMA email notification, OMA data synch, polling email)

What are the main areas addressed by the release of Series 60 3rd Edition?

- Platform Security
- Data Caging
- Trusted Computing Base
- Symbian Signed Verification
- Capabilities
- Binary Compatibility break
- Real-time kernel
- New Compiler and build tools
- Increased Device Differentiation and Segmentation
- Market Volumes

Developers need to keep in mind that applications can access different capabilities depending on whether they are signed and, if so, whether they have a trusted status. Two aspects to the verification process are Symbian Developer Certification and Symbian Signed. Important to note... Developers can still create unsigned applications, however, a "signed status" is required for developers wishing to access those capabilities not available to unsigned applications.

What other supporting apps and Toolkits are necessary?

C++ is the native programming language of the Series 60 Platform. Developers can use C++ to create applications that access the application engines. SDKs supporting the Metrowerks CodeWarrior, Borland C++ Mobile Edition, and Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0 development environments for C++ development are available from forum.nokia. Integrated development environments (IDEs) from Borland and Sun can be used in conjunction with the Nokia Developers Suite for the Java 2 Platform, Micro Edition (J2ME).

What about porting apps to the latest release?

Forum. Nokia has created a section on their website designed specifically to provide information on this topic. See www.forum.nokia.com/porting.

The FAQ goes on with loads of responses to questions that you likely have. Download the FAQ from Forum.Nokia