What is Symbian OS?

Symbian OS (operating system) is an operating system designed specifically for mobile devices. It is being developed by Symbian Ltd, a software licensing company that supplies the operating system for many data-enabled mobile phones.

How does Symbian OS work?

As an operating system software, Symbian OS provides the underlying routines and services for application software. For example, an email software that interacts with a user through a mobile phone screen and downloads email messages to the phone's inbox over a mobile network or WiFi access, is using the communication protocols and file management routines provided by the Symbian OS.

Symbian OS technology has been designed with these key points in mind:

• to provide power, memory and input & output resource management specifically required in mobile devices
• to deliver an open platform that complies with global telecommunications and Internet standards
• to provide tools for developing mobile software for business, media and other applications
• to ensure the wide availability of applications and accessories for different user requirements
• to facilitate wireless connectivity for a variety of networks

About Symbian OS

Nokia has made Symbian OS its strategic choice for smartphone operating systems. Nokia S60 Software, currently the most widely used software platform in the smartphone market worldwide, runs on Symbian OS - as does the advanced Nokia Series 80 Communicator devices. The Symbian OS-based Nokia Series 90 platform delivers touch screen technology and an advanced software development environment for media-rich applications.

What are the benefits of Symbian OS?

• Wide selection of applications available for a range of mobile phones
• Implements industry standard protocols, interfaces and management services for IT system integration
• Application development using industry standard Java and C++ languages
• Extensive connectivity options - including GSM, GPRS, CDMA, WCDMA, WiFi and Bluetooth