The document discusses Qt as a developer platform, highlighting its cross-platform capabilities, development advantages, and market potential, particularly with Symbian and Meego devices. It notes the ease of learning and proficiency with Qt, while addressing challenges like evolving tools and features. Additionally, it explains the transition of Qt's commercial business from Nokia to Digia, while ensuring continued support for the Qt community.

1. Qt as Developer Platform
MoMo, Tallinna, 11.4.2011
Tuukka Ahoniemi
Senior Technical Trainer
Digia Plc

2. Qt as Developer ”Platform”
• ”Platform”?
2 © 2011 Digia Plc

3. ”Platform”, or …
Symbian
???
MeeGo
Code
Embedded Linux
Desktop OSs
(Android)
3 © 2011 Digia Plc

4. Cross-Platform APIs
• Cross-platform Qt APIs are
wrappers around native services
Application 1 Application 2 Application 3
Qt APIs
Qt
Qt/Windows Qt/Mac Qt/Symbian
Win32 GDI Carbon / Cocoa S60 / OpenC
Windows Kernel Mac Symbian
HW
4

5. Developing with Qt
• High-level OOP, C++
• Signals’n’slots
• Good documentation
• Unified tools
• Quick development
• Especially Qt Quick!
5 © 2011 Digia Plc

6. Device Reach, Symbian
• ~100M active Symbian phones that support Qt
• Starting from S60 3rd ed.
• Another 100M Symbian phones to be sold more
• EMEA, India, China
6 © 2011 Digia Plc

7. MeeGo?
• ”Research platform”
• One device this year
• It is open source
• It’s not only Nokia who’s working with MeeGo…
• Netbooks, IVIs, etc…
7 © 2011 Digia Plc

8. Future Prospects –
Still Lots of Market Potential!
WP
MeeGo
Symbian Time factor unclear
S40/S30
2-3 years?
Time ??
8 © 2011 Digia Plc

9. Distribution of Qt Apps
• OVI Store
• Qt Quick just about getting supported…
• Free publishing
• Symbian Signing required
• OVI store signs for you
9 © 2011 Digia Plc

10. Why Go Qt?
• Easy to learn, Easy to master
• Efficient
• Good Ecosystem
• Reachability
10 © 2011 Digia Plc

11. http://qt.nokia.com/qt-in-use
“For 15 years, Qt has helped hundreds of
thousands of developers and companies:
• Develop advanced and highly innovative applications and
devices
• Cut their development time by nearly 50%.
• Deploy 50% faster because of better code
maintainability
• Reduce their code by more than 50%”
11 © 2011 Digia Plc

12. Obstacles
• Tools (getting there!)
• OVI store (getting there!)
• Previously had missing features in mobile platforms
• Lots of workarounds required
• Qt Quick rather new and still evolving
• Qt Components
• Best practices
• North America markets
12 © 2011 Digia Plc

13. ”Nokia sells Qt to Digia”
• Not exactly
• Qt as technology is owned and maintained by Nokia
• Nokia’s interest is in mobile platforms
• The commercial Qt business was sold to Digia
• Commercial licenses for desktop/embedded
• Support the Qt Community
13 © 2011 Digia Plc

14. Thank You!
tuukka.ahoniemi@digia.com