Series 40 platform overview

The Series 40 platform offers a mass-market opportunity for Java™ developers, developers of applications for Flash Lite from Adobe, and content creators. Devices based on the Series 40 platform accounted for a large portion of the more than 540-million platform devices Nokia estimates it had cumulatively shipped by the end of 2006.

Java developers have access to MIDP and CLDC technology, with an array of JSRs that provide additional 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.

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Series 40 5th Edition enhances Java™ technology compatibility and more

Series 40 5th Edition extends Nokia's platform promise, with the introduction of 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 5th Edition delivers the Advanced Multimedia Supplements (JSR‑234) and enhanced versions of the Java™ APIs for Bluetooth (JSR‑82), the Mobile Media API (JSR‑135), the J2ME™ Web Services Specification (JSR‑172), and the Security and Trust Services API for J2ME™ (JSR‑177). Series 40 5th Edition, Feature Pack 1 also adds the Content Handler API (JSR‑211).

In addition to Java technology enhancements, Series 40 5th Edition provides other opportunities to developers of applications for Flash Lite, with the introduction of the Flash Lite 2.1 Player from Adobe. 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 5th Edition devices.

Series 40 5th Edition will allow developers to create a wider range of applications than ever before. Series 40 devices have always offered an advanced mobile experience to consumers; now features such as JSR‑172 and JSR‑177 will allow Java developers to deliver advanced applications to enterprise users, too. Because of the platform's continued support for 240 x 320‑pixel screens, media developers will benefit from the improved viewing experience and realize faster growth of 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 these market opportunities.

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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.
• Mobile 3D Graphics API for J2ME™ (JSR‑184).
• Java™ Technology for the Wireless Industry (JSR‑185).
• Wireless Messaging API (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.

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 and the Series 80 platform. This allows developers to easily extend the reach of their applications to the entire platform range.

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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 2.1, 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 making a phone call, allowing applications to take advantage of Series 40 devices' mobile connectivity.

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

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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 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.

For messaging applications, developers have OMA MMS v1.2 compliant messaging with SMIL to create 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 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.

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Screen resolutions

From Series 40 3rd Edition, Feature Pack 2 onward, two UI screen resolutions have been used on Series 40 devices, as illustrated here:

128 x 160 pixels This enlarged version of the "classic" Series 40 UI resolution offers extra screen size. The first implementation was on the Nokia 6650 phone.

240 x 320 pixels This is a large QVGA Series 40 UI resolution. The first implementation was on the Nokia 6265 phone, Nokia 6270 phone, and Nokia 6280 phone.

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Featured devices

View all Series 40 platform devices »

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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 »

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Recommended tools and SDKs for Java™ developers

IDEs

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

NetBeans

Developers choosing NetBeans will also install the NetBeans Mobility Pack. Together, these tools provide 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 and the NetBeans Mobility pack »

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 »

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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 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 »

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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 Flash Lite from Adobe 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 Java™ language 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 »

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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 »

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