This document provides an overview of the Symbian mobile operating system. It discusses Symbian OS's significance in the wireless market, why it is suited for mobile phones, its architecture and connectivity features, and the different mobile phones that support Symbian OS. The document was submitted by Devesh Kumar at APEX Institute of Technology & Management in partial fulfillment of a B.Tech degree in computer science.

1. SYMBIAN MOBILE OPERATING
SYSTEM
Seminar ID: 768
A Technical Seminar Report
Submitted in partial fulfillment of
The requirement for the B.Tech.
Under Biju Patnaik University of Technology, Rourkela.
Submitted By
DEVESH KUMAR Roll No. CSE201210120
MARCH - 2015
Under the guidance of
Sunil kumar panigrahi
APEX INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY & MANAGEMENT
Pahala, Bhubaneswar, Odisha – 752101, India

2. APEX INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY & MANAGEMENT
Pahala, Bhubaneswar, Odisha – 752101, India
CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that the seminar work entitled ‘Symbian mobile operating
System’ is a bonafide work being Devesh kumar of CSE branch.
This seminar report is submitted in partial fulfillment for the requirement of
the B.Tech degree under Biju Pattnaik University of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha.
(Mr. SUNIL KUMAR PANIGRAHI)
Seminar Guide
(Ms. SUMITRA OJHA) (Prof R.C DAS)
B.Tech Seminar Coordinator PRINCIPAL

3. ABSTRACT
This document provides information about the Symbian operating system, which is
one of the mobile operating systems. It provides the overview of what is the Symbian
operating system? What are the characteristics of Symbian OS? Why we have to use
this mobile operating system? What all Symbian base Cell-Phones can do? Symbian
OS Architecture & Working Flow, Different Mobiles Supports for Symbian.
Symbian is an operating system (OS) targeted at mobile phones that offers a
high-level of integration with communication and personal information management
(PIM) functionality. Symbian OS combines middleware with wireless
communications through an integrated mailbox and the integration of Java and PIM
functionality (agenda and contacts). The Symbian OS is open for third-party
development by independent software vendors, enterprise IT departments, network
operators and Symbian OS licensees.
. i

4. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to express my immense sense of gratitude to my guide Sunil Panigrahi
for his valuable instructions, guidance and support throughout my seminar.
I again owe my special thanks to Sumitra Ojha, Technical Seminar Coordinator for
giving me an opportunity to do this report.
And finally thanks to Prof. R.C. Das, principal, APEX for his continued drive for
better quality in everything that happens at APEX. This report is a dedicated
contribution towards that greater goal.
DEVESH KUMAR
CSE201210120
. ii

5. TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT...................................................................................................................i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT............................................................................................ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS.............................................................................................iii
LIST OF FIGURES.......................................................................................................v
1. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................6
1. What is Symbian? ..................................................................................................6
1.1What is Symbian's significance in the wireless market?.......................................6
2. Why Symbian OS?....................................................................................................8
................................................................................................................................8
2.1 Addressing specific needs.....................................................................................8
2.2 Small and mobile, but always available...............................................................9
2.3 Addressing the mass-market.................................................................................9
2.4 Handling occasional connectivity.......................................................................10
2.5 Product diversity.................................................................................................10
2.6 Open platform.....................................................................................................10
2.7 A different operating system?.............................................................................11
2.8 Why Symbian OS?.............................................................................................11
2.9. When Symbian?.................................................................................................11
2.10 What all Symbian base Cell-Phone can do?.....................................................12
3. Symbian OS Architecture & Working Flow...........................................................13
3.1 Connectivity........................................................................................................13
3.2 Color and Sound Support...................................................................................13
3.3 Operating System Reliability..............................................................................13
3.4 Application Engines and Services......................................................................14
3.5 Symbian OS Fully Multitasking.........................................................................14
. iii

6. 3.6 Memory Leaks Avoided.....................................................................................15
3.7 Reusable Code....................................................................................................15
3.8 Add New Software and System Components.....................................................15
4. Different Mobiles Supports for Symbian................................................................16
5. APPLICATION SUPPORT....................................................................................18
6. SELECTING DEVICE...........................................................................................20
7. Key features of Symbian OS...................................................................................21
8. Requirements of Symbian Operating System.........................................................22
9. CONCLUSION.......................................................................................................23
10. REFERENCES......................................................................................................25
. iv

7. LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 3.1 Symbian OS Architecture Connectivity.....................................................13
Figure 5.1 Application Support...................................................................................19
. v

8. 1. INTRODUCTION
1. What is Symbian?
Symbian is an operating system (OS) targeted at mobile phones that offers a
high-level of integration with communication and personal information management
(PIM) functionality. Symbian OS combines middleware with wireless
communications through an integrated mailbox and the integration of Java and PIM
functionality (agenda and contacts). The Symbian OS is open for third-party
development by independent software vendors, enterprise IT departments, network
operators and Symbian OS licensees.
Symbian itself grew out of Psion Software (hence many of the similarities
-often under the hood- between Psion's EPOC operating system and modern Symbian
software platforms). Recognizing that the future was a connected one, with
messaging, email and web central, mobile phone giants Ericsson and Nokia (plus a
few others) were involved in setting up the new consortium with the Psion staff.
Today (2005), Psion itself has more or less ceased to exist, leaving Nokia and
Sony Ericsson as the two dominant partners, at least in terms of investment and new
products.
1.1 What is Symbian's significance in the wireless market?
Symbian plays a central role within the wireless market: Symbian's licensees
represented over 80% of mobile phone sales in 2002. The importance of this role was
underlined by Jorma Ollila, Chairman & CEO of Nokia, when he stated in May 2001,
that ".by 2004, 50% of Nokia's 3G phones will be Symbian OS based".
The wireless market is changing, driven by customers who want access to
services and applications that will add value to their leisure and work, and by
operators who need a return on their huge investments in 3G licenses and
infrastructure. They will have invested something like €300bn in Europe.
So we see fantastic opportunities. Opportunities for new services and applications,
such as multi-user games, location based services for route planning or localized
advertising, and soon wireless commerce. However this is a new world. Both handset
manufactures and operators are moving from closed systems to open systems, giving
users the ability to download applications and services. This change isn't going to be
painless; however Symbian is in a unique position to minimize the cost of change.
Symbian OS is an advanced, open platform and Symbian is committed to supporting,
implementing, and guiding the major wireless standards. But perhaps most
importantly of all, Symbian understands the wireless market and the way it is
. 6

9. changing. This includes the necessary security infrastructure, application and service
provisioning and their business models, and rapid service development.
. 7

10. 2. Why Symbian OS?
2.1 Addressing specific needs
Small devices come in many shapes and sizes, each addressing distinct target
markets that have different requirements. The market segment we are interested in is
that of the mobile phone. The primary requirement of this market segment is that all
products are great phones. This segment spans voice-centric phones with information
capability (such as Series 60 phones) to information-centric devices with voice
capability (such as UIQ and Series 80 phones). These advanced mobile phones
integrate fully-featured personal digital assistant (PDA) capabilities with those of a
traditional mobile phone in a single unit. In this article we’ll be looking at the critical
factors for operating systems in this market.
It is important to look at the mobile phone market in isolation. It has specific needs
that make it unlike markets for PCs or fixed domestic appliances. Scaling down a PC
operating system, or bolting communication capabilities onto a small and basic
operating system, results in too many fundamental compromises. Symbian believes
that the mobile phone market has five key characteristics that make it unique, and
result in the need for a specifically designed operating system:
 Mobile phones are both small and large.
 Mobile phones are ubiquitous–they target a mass-market of consumer,
enterprise and professional users.
 Mobile phones are occasionally connected – they can be used when connected
to the wireless phone network, locally to other devices, or on their own.
 Manufacturers need to differentiate their products in order to innovate and
compete in a fast-evolving market.
 The platform has to be open to enable independent technology and software
vendors to develop third-party applications, technologies and services.
The way to grow the mobile phone market is to create good products – and the only
way to create good products is to address each of these characteristics and ensure that
technology doesn’t limit functionality. Meeting the impressive growth forecast by
analysts in a reasonable time frame is only possible with the right operating system.
. 8

11. 2.2 Small and mobile, but always available
Mobile phones are both small and, by definition, mobile. This creates high
user expectations. For instance, if you have your agenda on a phone that you also use
to make calls and exchange data, you expect to be able to carry it with you at all times
and to be instantly available whenever you want to use it.
Fulfilling these expectations makes considerable demands on power
management. The device needs to be responsive in all situations, and cannot afford to
go through a long boot sequence when it is turned on. In fact, the device should never
be powered down completely since it needs to activate timed alarms or handle
incoming calls. At the same time, a mobile phone must provide many hours of
operation on a single charge or set of batteries. Meeting these contradictory
requirements can only be done if the whole operating system is designed for
efficiency.
2.3 Addressing the mass-market
Reliability is a major issue for mass-market phones. Data loss in a personal
mobile phone causes a loss of trust between the user and the phone. A mobile phone
therefore must be at least as resilient as paper diaries and agendas. Recalling phones
to install service packs is a commercial and practical last resort – a mobile phone
should never lock up or come with a major software defect. In fact, to use a PC term,
it should never ever need a “reboot”! This is a far cry from desktop computers where
bugs, crashes and reboots are expected.
However, reliability alone is not enough to make good products. Sound consumer
design is also necessary, where:
• Product applications take advantage of the mobile phone’s unique
characteristics as well as its environment.
• Products should be designed to meet current usability and future developments
in wireless technology.
• Consistency of style is paramount – if a feature is too complex to use, then it
cannot justify either the time it took to develop or the space it takes in the
device.
An operating system targeted at mobile phones must support these design
principles by offering a high-level of integration with communication and
personal information management (PIM) functionality. Symbian OS combines
high functionality middleware with superior wireless communications through an
. 9

12. integrated mailbox and the integration of Java and PIM functionality (agenda and
contacts).
2.4 Handling occasional connectivity
Accessing remote data, sending email or synchronizing calendars requires
some type of connection. Mobility constraints generally make a wireless connection
preferable – whether wide area (using wireless telephony) or personal area (such as
infrared or Bluetooth links).
2.5 Product diversity
There is an apparent contradiction between software developers who want to
develop for just one popular platform and manufacturers who each want to have a
range of distinctive and innovative products. The circle can be squared by separating
the user interface from the core operating system.
Advanced mobile phones or “smart phones” come in all sorts of shapes – from
traditional designs resembling today’s mobile phones with main input via the phone
keypad, to a tablet form factor operated with a stylus, to phones with larger screens
and small keyboards.
This strategy ensures that Symbian OS phone manufacturers can create highly
differentiated products while sharing a technology platform and keeping the learning
curve to a minimum.
2.6 Open platform
An operating system for the mass-market must be open for third-party
development – by independent software vendors, enterprise IT departments, network
operators and Symbian OS licensees. In turn, this implies a manageable learning
curve, standard languages such as C++ and Java, along with SDKs, tools,
documentation, books, technical support and training. Symbian OS has a rich set of
APIs for independent software developers, partners and licensees to write their
applications.
Traditional standards such as Unicode for internationalization, a POSIX API,
and Java are a must, but for an operating system to take its place in the connected
world, open standards such as TCP/IP, POP3, IMAP4, SMTP, SMS, MMS,
Bluetooth, OBEX, WAP, i-mode, Java and SyncML should also be supported.
Symbian has trusted leading partners in the mobile phone market and actively
participates in standards organizations (such as the Open Mobile Alliance and the
Java Community Process). Through these, Symbian has advance.
. 10

13. Furthermore, a user interface framework, data service enablers and application
engines provide a solid base for application developers to target.
2.7 A different operating system?
To fit into the limited amount of memory a mobile phone may have, the
operating system must be compact. However, as we have seen, it must still provide a
rich set of functionality. What is needed to power a mobile phone is not a mini-
operating system but a different operating system – one that is tailored. Symbian is
dedicated to mobile phones and Symbian OS has been designed to meet the
sophisticated requirements of the mobile phone market that mini-operating systems
can’t. They simply run out of steam.
2.8 Why Symbian OS?
The five key points – small mobile devices, mass market, intermittent wireless
connectivity, diversity of products and an open platform for independent software
developers – are the premises on which Symbian OS was designed and developed.
This makes it distinct from any desktop, workstation or server operating system. This
also makes Symbian OS different from embedded operating systems, or any of its
competitors, which weren’t designed with all these key points in mind.
Symbian is committed to open standards and is actively working with
emerging standards, such as J2ME, Bluetooth, MMS, Sync ML, IPv6 and WCDMA.
As well as its own developer support organization, books, papers and courses,
Symbian delivers a global network of third-party competency and training centers –
the Symbian Competence Centers and Symbian Training Centers. These are
specifically directed at enabling other organizations and developers to take part in this
new economy.
2.9. When Symbian?
• In June 1999, EPOC version 5 started shipping. It contained support for
devices based on a 640x240 screen resolution, with pen and keyboard
capabilities.
• In 2000, Symbian OS 6.0 was released. Its design goal is to bring together
various forms of communication protocols, such as TCP/IP, WAP, GSM,
Bluetooth, IrDa, as well as serial connections.
. 11

14. • In 2002, Symbian OS version 7.0 was released. This version is designed for
the unique requirements of advanced 2G, 2.5G, and 3G mobile phone.
2.10 What all Symbian base Cell-Phone can do?
It's early days for rolled out services, but we're seeing pilots and experimental
services being created. For instance "Wireless for Symbian Devices" describes the
Handheld Travel Assistant, developed by Telenor R&D. This uses Symbian and
existing Internet services to provide users with location related information, including
local maps, location of friends, transport routes, and information about local shops
and restaurants. A GPS system was used for position information, but transmitter
signal strength can also be used to locate the user.
There's also the Simple Conference example from Digit. This allows users of
different mobile phones to work on a shared whiteboard. Both drawings and textual
information can be shared, with the whiteboard model being held on a server.
In addition Cell-Telecom ( www.cell-telecom.com) has deployed a number of
Symbian applications, which includes sales support and industrial QA.
. 12

15. 3. Symbian OS Architecture & Working Flow
Figure 3.1 Symbian OS Architecture Connectivity
3.1 Connectivity
The Palm Conduit Development Kit (CDK) allows Palm OS developers to
write plug-ins (conduits) for the HotSync Manager application that synchronizes data
between applications on the desktop and on the Palm PDA. Symbian OS provides a
Connectivity Software Development Kit (CSDK), which allows developers to write
add-in file format converters and plug-ins to synchronize between Symbian OS
phones and desktop applications.
3.2 Color and Sound Support
Like Palm OS, Symbian OS provides full support for color and sound, which
application programmers can access through convenient APIs. Symbian OS differs
from Palm OS in the additional capabilities it offers. It has been designed with
sophisticated memory management, event handling mechanisms, and multitasking,
making it the best platform in its class for mobile phones.
3.3 Operating System Reliability
Own protected address space, thus it is not possible for any application to
overwrite a robust system is a key requirement for mobile phones and devices: they
should be crash proof. Contrary to what PC users have come to expect, it is possible
to design an operating system that does not require the user to reboot it on a regular
basis. Symbian OS is such an operating system. First, each process runs in its any
other application’s address space, causing the application to crash. Second, the kernel
itself also runs in its own protected address space, so that a program bug can’t
accidentally overwrite the kernel’s stack or heap and cause the whole system to crash.
. 13

16. If programs need to pass data to other programs, they do so using Symbian OS
client/server architecture, which allows applications to exchange data using a robust,
efficient message-passing system. This message passing system has been designed so
that it uses as few system resources as possible: message overheads are small and data
exchange is minimized.
3.4 Application Engines and Services
Symbian OS allows developers to build powerful applications quickly by
providing a number of reusable application engines as well as a range of application
services. Some of these engines and services include:
 A relational database manager
 Schedule and to-do list application engines
 Text-processing APIs
 Printing and zooming APIs
 Support for vCard, v Calendar standards, and IrOBEX protocol
 Clipboard support
 String-handling libraries, dynamic buffers, and math libraries
 A stream store API for efficient access to data
 Graphics and animation libraries
 A multimedia server supporting audio recording, playback, and image
functionality
 Support for Unicode and internationalization
3.5 Symbian OS Fully Multitasking
The multitasking nature of Symbian OS architecture makes it the ideal
application platform for mobile phones. The single-tasking Palm OS is a much more
challenging environment for developers of communications applications. Under
Symbian OS, each program runs as a separate process, and applications can run
concurrently. Each process under Symbian OS contains one or more threads, and the
system scheduler allocates processor use to threads through prioritized pre-emptive
multitasking.
. 14

17. 3.6 Memory Leaks Avoided
As stated earlier, main memory on a Symbian OS phone is extremely limited.
Developers have to limit application memory use, and, perhaps more important,
release memory that the application no longer uses. If an application allocates
dynamic memory on the heap, uses it, and then doesn’t release it, that memory will be
effectively lost to the rest of the system until the application closes a memory leak has
occurred.
Symbian OS provides a programming framework to assist developers in
writing programs that don’t leak memory. This framework includes a number of
programming idioms that occur in all Symbian OS code, as well as development tools
that allow developers to verify that the code they have written does not leak memory.
3.7 Reusable Code
Symbian OS is designed to reuse code wherever possible, enabling a device to
achieve rich functionality with limited hardware resources. Code reuse is achieved
two ways:-
1. Code reuse at run time–system components have been designed to maximize the
use of Dynamic Link Libraries (DLLs) throughout the system, thereby minimizing the
amount of code loaded into main memory.
2. When writing programs, Symbian OS API design allows code reuse.
3.8 Add New Software and System Components
Symbian OS allows new software components, including new protocol stacks,
Web plug-ins, and device drivers to be added, and existing software to be updated
without rebooting – even while the device is running – through its use of frameworks
and DLLs. The framework architecture allows a framework, such as a Web browser
or communications server, to load and run the functions provided by a DLL without
knowing how those functions work.
. 15

18. 4. Different Mobiles Supports for Symbian
Terms you'll see bandied around a lot include 'Series 60', 'Series 80', 'Series
90' and 'UIQ'. These are all Symbian platforms, but don't despair because it's all
relatively simple. In many cases, once you've bought a device, you don't even have to
remember much about its internals, as most developer web sites include photos of all
the different hardware, you just click on the one you own to see what's available.
Q is stylus-based interface (heavily influenced by the easy-to-use Palm OS
one). The best known examples of UIQ devices are the Sony Ericsson P800 and
P900/P910i, although there are others, including the Motorola A920/925/1000. Look
beyond the Palm-like interface and you'll see glimpses of stuff that's familiar from
Psion days.
But only glimpses. The biggest downside of UIQ is that some of the benefits of
multitasking have been removed by the way programs revert to a neutral state when
sent to the background. So you switch away to check your calendar or answer the
phone and then have to re-open your document and find your place all over again and
again.
Historically, Nokia have opted for Symbian devices which don't need a fragile
touch-screen. The well-known Nokia 9210 effectively ran EPOC version 6 and is
extremely similar to an old Psion Series 5mx in many, many ways, with the minor
difference that the lack of a touch-screen necessitated a set of programmable
command buttons to the right of the screen. Nokia refer to this interface as 'Series 80'.
Series 80 is also used in slightly tweaked form in the new Nokia 9300 and
9500 communicators. If you want to get close to a Psion-on-steroids-with-a-color-
screen, then these are the ones to get. You get almost the full range of built-in
applications (including Word, Sheet, etc.) and there's full (and proper) multi-tasking,
so you can have dozens of programs and documents open at once, switching between
them as needed. The 9500 wins out for most people, with more useable keyboard, Wi-
Fi and a good camera. And it's quite affordable with a sensible phone contract.
Down at the other size extreme, Nokia has been very successful with their
small-screen 'Series 60' interface. Again this is recognizable Symbian under the hood,
but again there's no touch-screen and this time Nokia has written many of its own
dumbed-down applications from scratch, ditching the standard Psion/Symbian ones
. 16

19. presumably because they wouldn't suit the one-handed, button-driven interface and
tiny (176 pixel-wide) screen.
There's multi-tasking power here under the hood and many third party
applications have been ported to Series 60, but everything's restricted to some degree
by the screen size and keypad text input. Of course, this last problem can be solved
with a Bluetooth keyboard.
The best Series 60 device to go for at the moment is probably the Nokia 6630,
because it's got a fairly recent OS (Symbian OS 7, meaning that it's compatible with
most new software, e.g. TomTom MOBILE 5), plus the Multimedia Framework
(MMF) and stereo electronics that let it to justice your music collection. And it's got a
good, relatively large screen. And it's pretty cheap nowadays, free on quite a few
phone contracts.
Hot off the press is 'Series 90', as seen in Nokia's new 7710. It uses much the
same operating system and applications as Series 80, but tweaked to support a slightly
larger, touch-sensitive screen. But there's no keyboard, of course, so input is via
gesture recognition, virtual keyboard or Bluetooth keyboard. And I'm really, really
not sure about the general appearance and form factor.
. 17

20. 5. APPLICATION SUPPORT
Symbian OS is fully multi-tasking. To ensure the system to run in an efficient
and secure manner, some properties are imposed on applications. All applications run
in a virtual machine (VM) environment. One benefit is that software can be fixed-up
(built with predefined run-time memory configuration) such that the environment is
exactly as expected. This saves memory, because the library does not need to have
any relocation information associated with it. Also if there are two copies of the
application running they can execute the same code.
The VM is made possible by use of the MMU to move data around in the
virtual address space. An application consists of a single process, the unit of memory
protection, in which one or more threads are running. When an application is loaded
from its polymorphic DLL, the application is given pages for the process data, and the
thread data in the outer page table of the two-level MMU. When a context switch
occurs to this process, the kernel adjusts the MMU configuration by moving all the
pages to a pre-defined location in the virtual memory map. Execution continues in the
appropriate thread.
If the data cache is virtually tagged, then the cache must be flushed every time
a context switch takes place. This introduces inefficiency for applications, however
for intensively used system server processes a unique data area can be assigned to
them if they are only single copy. The file server is such an example: if an application
requests a service from the file server, the context switch to the file server does not
involve any change in the MMU or a cache flush and if the original application is
returned to the data in the cache is still valid.
Physically tagged caches do not have this complication.
. 18

21. Figure 5.1 Application Support
The MMU is used for context switching allowing all processes to assume their
data is resident at the same place. Here a context switch is made between process B
and process A, the memory is moved by modifying the outer page table of the two-
stage MMU.
. 19

22. 6. SELECTING DEVICE
We have chosen the operating system and the user interface of the device so
far, but also the manufacturer (Nokia). The next step is to go through the set of those
Nokia devices with the Symbian OS and the S60 user interface, and choose one for
our project. There are a lot of devices that support the S60 platform, thus some
necessary features for our application. As long as Bluetooth connectivity, SSL/TLS
and Java applications are supported, the device is suitable for our purpose. A list of
candidate devices is given below:
S60 1st
S60 2nd S60 3rd
Nokia 3660 Nokia N70 Nokia 5700, Nokia N77
Nokia N-Gage Nokia N90 Nokia E90, Nokia E65
Nokia 3650 Nokia
6680
Nokia N76, Nokia N93i
Nokia 7650 Nokia
6681
Nokia 6290, Nokia N95
Nokia N-Gage
QD
Nokia
3230
Nokia E50, Nokia N73
Nokia
6630
Nokia N93, Nokia N80
Nokia
6670
Nokia N92, Nokia N71
Nokia
7610
Nokia E70, Nokia E61
Nokia
6260
Nokia E60, Nokia 3250
Nokia
6660
Nokia N91, Nokia 5500
sport
First, we eliminated the devices that were not using the latest version of S60, as the
newest version S60 3rd edition includes an improved look and feel, more features for
multimedia and business applications, and better security. Then we decided we do not
want to use on of the very latest models of Nokia, but we prefer to develop our
application for a device that can be found already in the market. So Nokia 5700, N77,
E90, E65 and N76 were out of the question. For the rest of the devices, we took into
consideration the Java technology supported and found that Nokia N71, 6290, 5500
Sport, E50, N73, N93, N80, N92, 3250, N91 and N71 did not support the MIDP 2.0
. 20

23. specification with enhanced user interface and end to end security. Moreover, those
devices had very limited standby/talk time, which is not desirable in our case, as we
want the device constantly connected to the RFID Guardian. From the remaining
devices, we chose E61 as it is the only one supporting both phone keypad and full
(QWERTY) keyboard, it has the longest standby/talk time, a reasonable price and the
best design.
It may not have a camera, but this is not really what we are interested in.
7. Key features of Symbian OS
. 21

24. • Generally, the language C++ is used in most of the Symbian operating systems.
But in many Symbian Operating System the operating system can also use
languages like Python, Visual Basic, OPL and Perl. Symbian Operating System
was built in such a way that it follows the three basic design rules.
• The integrity and security of user data is of paramount importance.
• Response time must not be as small as possible .All resources are scarce.
• Symbian OS programming is said to be event based, and the Central Processing
Unit is switched off when the running applications and programs are not linked
to the event. This is achieved through a programming logic called active
objects.
• The Symbian Operating system is compatible with all kinds of devices, mostly
removable media file systems.
• Symbian Operating system 9.x which is one of the latest models has adopted a
better model. The Symbian system is not Open Source software.
• Performance – Symbian OS is designed to make minimal demands on batteries
and to have low memory.
• Multitasking – telephony and universal messaging are fundamental
components. All applications are designed to work seamlessly in parallel.
• Standards – the use of technologies based on agreed-upon standards is a basic
principle of Symbian OS, ensuring that applications are robust, portable, and
interoperable Object-oriented software architecture.
• Memory management optimized for embedded software environment.
• Runtime memory requirements are minimized – very small executable sizes
and ROM-based code that executes in place.
• Security mechanisms for enabling secure communications and safe data
storage.
• Application support for international environment with built-in Unicode
character sets.
• A rich and varied API allowing access to reusable components in developer
applications.
• Browsing - a WAP stack is provided with support for WAP 1.2.1 for mobile
browsing
• Messaging - multimedia messaging (MMS), enhanced messaging (EMS) and
SMS; internet mail; attachments; fax; Multimedia - audio and video support for
recording, playback and streaming; image Conversion.
• Graphics - direct access to screen and keyboard for high performance; graphics
accelerator API.
• User Inputs - generic input mechanism supporting full keyboard, 0-9*#
(numeric mobile phone keypad), voice, handwriting recognition and reductive
text input.
8. Requirements of Symbian Operating System
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25. Symbian OS is an operating system designed especially for data enabled mobile
phone. According to Symbian limited, the operating system was needed because
scaling down PC operating systems or expanding existing light weight operating
systems would have led to too many fundamental compromises. Symbian OS is
designed to fulfill some special requirements of mobile phones:
• Devices are small
• The target is a consumer mass market
• Devices can be used when connected to the wireless network, locally to other
devices or when not connected to any network.
• Manufacturers must be able to use it on very different kinds of products on
different Hardware designs, user interfaces and networks.
• It must be open for the third party development of additional applications and
services.
• Handling user data must be reliable even in case of un reliable
• Communication, lack of resources, etc.
• All device resources, especially power consumption and memory must be used
efficiently.
9. CONCLUSION
We live in times of tumult and change. In the midst of this excitement, two
strong trends are clear. First, software is spreading more widely and more deeply into
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26. all aspects of society. Second, communication is becoming pervasive: more objects
and gadgets talk to each other all the time, in ever-richer ways. The software that lies
at the heart of these new phones is Symbian OS. Endorsed by giants of the
telecommunications industry-Fujitsu, Kenwood, Motorola, Nokia, Panasonic, Psion,
Sanyo, Siemens and Sony Ericsson-Symbian OS enables a dramatic leap in the power
and utility of mobile phones. Symbian OS is neither a cut-down desktop/server OS
nor an extended embedded OS, but a one-of-a-kind mobile operating system. Like all
disruptive technologies, it has a challenging learning curve. Thankfully, it also has a
flourishing community of software developers and trainers ready to help fellow
travelers along this curve-sharing Symbian's motto of ‘co-operate before competing’.
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27. 10. REFERENCES
1. www.s60.com
2. www.nokia.nl
3. www.forum.nokia.com
4. S60 3rd Edition Software Development Kit for Symbian OS, help _le
5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smartphone
6. http://www.symbian.com/about/fastfacts/fastfacts.html
7. http://www.symbian.com/phones/index.html
8. http://www.canalys.com/pr/2006/r2006071.html
9. http://www.uiq.com/
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