The steward of the Symbian operating system used on nearly half the world’s smartphones has outlined how it intends to foster the development of mobile applications for the platform.
Slated for launch in October, the Symbian Foundation’s new Symbian Horizon program will provide developers with the technical knowledge to build software for Symbian-powered devices under a royalty-free license. The goal is to encourage robust app development, increase revenue, and enhance software diversity in mobile stores while improving the consumer experience, foundation Executive Director Lee Williams said.
“We are building a self-sustaining ecosystem that will drive the next generation of mobile,” Williams said. “And we can help North American developers reach markets in Asia and Europe where the Symbian platform is widely known and loved.”
Reducing Barriers
The Symbian Horizon program is expected to reduce developer barriers while increasing the profitability of applications, the nonprofit organization said. Companies and developers participating in the program will gain access to a variety of services that support the development, distribution and marketing of mobile applications.
Backers such as AT&T, Nokia and Samsung expect to see Symbian Horizon produce a wealth of new mobile offerings for their online app stores. The other online community that Symbian Horizon is targeting ranges from individual developers to companies that want to reach a broader mobile consumer market, such as the Guardian newspaper and National Public Radio.
But Symbian Horizon faces formidable marketplace rivals. Apple and Google have already achieved stalwart followings among developers for the iPhone and Android platforms. Additionally, Palm has just released its Mojo software development kit for the Palm Pre.
“Even in its initial beta stage, over 1.8 million apps have been downloaded from the beta App Catalog since Palm Pre was released less than six weeks ago,” said Palm spokesperson Jon Zilber on Thursday. “New applications…