Series 40 platform overview

The Series 40 platform is the world's most widely used mobile device platform. Series 40 devices range from mass-market devices that provide many mobile consumers with their first experience of the Internet to devices for specific market segments, such as music or fashion.

For developers, the promise made by the Series 40 platform is that of reach. Whether working with Java™ technology, Adobe Flash Lite, Web technology, or mobile media content, the Series 40 platform offers a mass-market opportunity across the globe. And as the Series 40 platform evolves, increasing support for multiple runtimes is bridging the divide between mobile and desktop product development.

For Java developers, there is MIDP and CLDC technology, with an array of JSRs that provide additional location, communication, messaging, media, and graphics capabilities.

Media developers can deliver Web, messaging, and Flash Lite content, as well as streaming video and audio, using the latest industry standards. The user interface of Series 40 devices can also be personalized with themes, animated screen savers, and wallpaper.

All this is supported by OMA DRM to protect developers' intellectual property.

The Series 40 is a fast-evolving mobile platform with industry-leading global sales. It creates unprecedented opportunities for developers to add value and reap rewards. Read on to find out more. …

Back to top

Series 40 6th Edition: building on enhanced Java™ technology compatibility

Series 40 6th Edition represents a continuing commitment by Nokia to mobile application developers, with support for MIDP 2.1 and the subset of the Mobile Service Architecture (JSR‑248). JSR‑248 provides a common implementation of seven popular JSRs. These implementations are shared with S60 3rd Edition, Feature Pack 2, and it is expected that other manufacturers of Java™ phones will implement JSR‑248. This means that developers will be able to create applications for Nokia platforms that will also run on other manufacturers' devices, with little or no change.

In addition, Series 40 6th Edition delivers exciting new opportunities for the creation of location-based applications, with the introduction of the Location API for J2ME™ (JSR‑179). This API can utilize an external Bluetooth GPS unit to obtain location information.

Series 40 6th Edition also provides improved support to Adobe Flash developers with the inclusion of the Flash Lite 3 Player. In addition to playing stand-alone Flash Lite content and applications and offering animated screen savers, Flash Lite can also be used to create animated "organic" wallpaper for Series 40 devices.

For Web developers, Series 40 6th Edition brings new opportunities with a browser based on the WebKit open source components WebCore and JavaScriptCore. This new browser delivers support for HTML 4.01, CSS2, JavaScript™ 1.5, and Ajax. Series 40 users can now experience a desktop-like Web browsing experience, which opens up new possibilities for Web developers to deliver sophisticated Web-based services to the mobile marketplace.

The platform continues to support 240 x 320-pixel screens, meaning media developers continue to benefit from the improved viewing experience and realize continued growth in the consumption of content and media. The platform approach, with its uniform implementation of technologies and supporting tools, documentation, and examples, will continue to offer developers the easiest route to seize mass-market opportunities.

Back to top

Java™ application developers

Java™ technology provides developers with a robust cross-platform development tool capable of addressing the most demanding enterprise and consumer application requirements.

With the latest version of the Series 40 platform, developers have access to the following Java technology:

• PDA Optional Packages for the J2ME™ Platform (JSR‑75), with support for the FC and PIM APIs.
• Java™ APIs for Bluetooth v1.1 (JSR‑82).
• Wireless Messaging API (JSR‑120).
• An updated Mobile Media API (JSR‑135).
• J2ME™ Web Services Specification (JSR‑172).
• Security and Trust Services API for J2ME™ (JSR‑177), including the SATSA-APDU and SATSA-CRYPTO optional packages.
• Location API for J2ME™ (JSR‑179)
• Mobile 3D Graphics API for J2ME™ (JSR‑184).
• Java™ Technology for the Wireless Industry (JSR‑185).
• Wireless Messaging API 2.0 (JSR‑205).
• Content Handler API (JSR‑211).
• Scalable 2D Vector Graphics API for J2ME™ (JSR‑226).
• Advanced Multimedia Supplements (JSR‑234), providing 3D audio and music support.
• Mobile Service Architecture (JSR‑248).

To find out more about Java technology support in the various Series 40 editions and feature packs, check out Series 40 Platform: Introductory White Paper.

The Java implementation on the Series 40 platform shares many common features with the implementation on the S60 platform. This allows developers to easily extend the reach of their applications to the entire platform range.

To find out more about Nokia's support for Java technology, visit the Java technology Web page »

Back to top

Flash Lite developers

Flash Lite from Adobe allows developers to deliver rich multimedia applications and content to Series 40 devices.

With support for Flash Lite 3, developers can create rich stand-alone applications and content, as well as animated screen savers and animated "organic" wallpaper. Using fscommand2, Flash Lite content can access and control various phone parameters. Flash Lite applications can also initiate various actions, such as initiating a phone call, allowing applications to take advantage of Series 40 devices' mobile connectivity.

To find out more about Flash Lite in the various Series 40 editions and feature packs, check out Series 40 Platform: Introductory White Paper or visit the Flash Lite technology page.

Back to top

Web developers

The Series 40 platform offers a number of opportunities for Web developers to reach the widest mobile audience.

For browsing applications, developers can take advantage of support for OMA Browsing v2.1, providing WAP 2.0, XHTML-MP, and HTML 4.01 browsing with wTCP/IP. ECMAScript support is also available, as is support for cookies. From Series 40 6th Edition onward, support is provided for HTML 4.01, CSS2, JavaScript™ 1.5, and Ajax.

To find out more about the Web development options, visit the Web Technologies Web page »

Web developers with some experience of the Java™ language could also consider taking advantage of the WidSets sevice. Using the WidSets service, Web developers can deliver content and services as widgets that mobile consumers run from a dashboard on their device. WidSets widgets allow content browsing to be optimized for mobile devices and has the added advantage of Push-based updating.

To find out more about the WidSets service, visit the WidSets technology Web page »

Back to top

Media and content developers

The Series 40 platform provides media developers with options to create browsing and messaging applications, deliver streaming audio and video, and create themes to personalize devices.

For messaging applications, developers have OMA MMS v1.3-compliant messaging and support for messages of up to 600 kB in size. SMIL is also supported, enabling the creation of messages as animated slide shows.

For content, developers can deliver streaming audio in AMR-WB and AAC formats, and video in H.263 format.

For themes, developers can customize the look and sound of the user interface, and add animated screen savers and animated "organic" wallpaper.

To find out more about the technology support for browsing, messaging, content, and themes in the various Series 40 editions and feature packs, check out Series 40 Platform: Introductory White Paper.

Back to top

Featured devices

View all Series 40 platform devices »

Back to top

Getting started

Not yet developing for the Series 40 platform? These documents provide an introduction to the platform, developing applications with Java™ technology, delivering content as themes, and using WAP 1.2.1, XHTML, and MMS.

View all Series 40 platform documents »

Back to top

Recommended tools and SDKs for Java™ developers

IDEs

Nokia provides support for the popular NetBeans and Eclipse open source IDEs.

NetBeans

NetBeans Mobility provides developers with a rich development environment offering visual application-flow specification, and drag-and-drop creation of the application UI. In addition, NetBeans offers tools to support the use of SVGT in creating graphically rich UIs without the overhead of low-level graphics coding.

Read more about NetBeans Mobility »

Eclipse

For developers familiar with the Eclipse IDE, installing EclipseME provides a set of tools for creating, testing, and packaging MIDlets for Nokia devices.

Download Eclipse »
Download EclipseME »

Series 40 SDKs

The Series 40 platform SDKs provide full emulation of the MIDP implementation delivered on Series 40 devices. The emulators also provide features such as KVM speed emulation, a comprehensive diagnostics window, simulation of key phone events (such as an incoming call), and the ability to override a device's default behavior.

Download Series 40 platform Java™ SDKs »

Nokia 6131 NFC SDK

Based on Series 40 3rd Edition, Feature Pack 1, the Nokia 6131 NFC can act as a virtual smart card. The Nokia 6131 NFC SDK provides an implementation of the Contactless Communication API (JSR‑257), which allows Java™ developers to create applications using the phone's NFC features.

Read more about NFC »
Download the Nokia 6131 NFC SDK »

Back to top

Recommended tools for content developers

Carbide.ui S60 Theme Edition 3.2 for Symbian OS

Carbide.ui is a tool for creating visual themes for devices built on the S60 platform and the Series 40 platform. Using Carbide.ui, designers can create comprehensive themes that consumers will find visually rich and engaging.

Carbide.ui integrates with the most popular vector-, bitmap-, and audio-editing software. The new Referenced Colors tool improves color manipulation by linking any color used in a theme to a centrally defined color. When a referenced color is changed, all linked colors change as well. Working with complex themes is supported with workflow tools and a library function. Once a theme is complete, settings for packaging and OMA DRM protection are required once, after which packaging, protection, and transfer of the theme to a device is a single step.

Download Carbide.ui S60 Theme Edition 3.2 for Symbian OS »

Back to top

Support

Forum Nokia provides developers with several support options.

Wiki

The Forum Nokia Wiki is a vast repository of information on all the technologies supported by Nokia. Comprehensive sections about Java™ technology and Adobe Flash Lite provide background information, how-to guides, source-code examples, and documentation of known issues.

Access the Java category of the Forum Nokia Wiki »

Knowledge Base

Hosted on the Forum Nokia Wiki, the Knowledge Base provides developers with details of known issues and technical solutions. Updated regularly, the Knowledge Base provides developers with a first port of call when encountering unexpected behavior in a Java™ application.

Access the Forum Nokia Knowledge Base »

Discussion Boards

The Forum Nokia Developer Discussion Boards offer an alternative source of support. Here, developers can access the knowledge of other application and content developers working with Nokia platforms and present questions to that community.

Access the Forum Nokia Developer Discussion Boards »

Technical Support

If developers are unable to find an answer to a query in the Wiki, Knowledge Base, or Discussion Boards, Forum Nokia offers pay-per-incident technical-support services.

Find out more about technical support »

Back to top

Code and examples

Developers can select from a broad range of example application source code that can help them jump-start development.

Java™ code and examples »

Back to top