The Nokia N97 SDK is the first device specific S60 SDK released by Nokia. While the additions are not numerous, it offers some interesting new APIs for both C++ and Java technology. In addition, the emulator enables testing of the new home screen features for C++ application and WRT widgets.
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Interesting that this is the first device-specific SDK. Are Nokia trying to emphasise a few key "flagship" models as examples of S60, or will this become a common way of doing things across their Symbian range?
One could argue that the original S60 v0.9 SDK for the only S60 v0.9 phone, the Nokia 7650 was the first device-specific S60 SDK.
The next S60 phone(s) were based on S60 v1.2 and the next SDK was v1.2 and there was a bunch of those v1.2 phones (and nowadays v1.2 and the related SDK is called "S60 1st Edition"😉.
So will Nokia release a different version of the system for every new phone? That will be fun for the developers. Meanwhile iPhone developers can be sure that their apps run on every iPhones and iPod Touches becuse Apple is updating the system for every device. I'm not sure that this is good idea for Nokia.
So will Nokia release a different version of the system for every new phone?
No. It means that they will help developers with the slightly different hardware and bundled software on each model, differences which would exist anyway.
The OS would be the same on all S60 models with that OS version.
Meanwhile iPhone developers can be sure that their apps run on every iPhones
Every iPhone as in one current model and one discontinued model.
What if I want an iPhone with a 5 megapixel camera? Oh that's right, it doesn't exist.
What about a cheap budget iPhone? Oh no, they don't make any.
How about a sturdy tough-as-nails model? Nope, sorry you're out of luck.
What about getting the same OS but on a different manufacturer's hardware? No, Apple refuses to let anyone else use their OS.
Symbian's sales strength comes from its diversity, it's available on very cheap models (130 euros) and very expensive models (650 euros), in sliders and monoblocks, and it's available on hardware from different manufacturers (Nokia, Samsung, Sony Ericsson and LG). You can get ones with Blackberry-style QWERTY, or sidesliding QWERTY, or half-QWERTY, or standard keypads, or resistive touchscreens, or capacitive touchscreens.
With Apple you either buy their one single model or you don't. There's no choice or diversity at all, they expect everyone's needs to be the same.
Hi guys,
I see from the API documents, that the N97 SDK has ctrl- key functionality for cutting, copying, etc. However, I cannot find the actual ctrl- key. Anyone yet worked out how to do this?