It’s no secret that Symbian needs a new user interface. S60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 2 is the height of S60, and S60 5th Edition had touch capabilities rigged on in a really awkward way. The S60 brand is no more, but the UI has been adopted as the user interface for the Symbian Foundation releases, at least until Symbian^4. There has recently been quite a bit of chatter about how Symbian^4 will break compatibility with apps, much like the transition from S60v2 to S60v3. However, there’s still quite a bit of confusion about the details of how this will all go down, so let’s see if we can clarify some.
For starters, you’ll want to check out Rafe Blandford’s excellent and comprehensive walkthrough of the general flow that users can expect to see. There will be quite a few things that change in the next 2 years, as Symbian Foundation releases Symbian^2, Symbian^3, and finally, Symbian^4.
Let’s see if we can’t simplify things a bit…
For starters, the current S60 user interface that you know and love is called AVKON, to developers. This interface is being phased out on touchscreen devices, to be replaced with a combination of Qt, Orbit, and Direct UI. Qt is the framework that holds it all together, and Orbit is the graphical part of it, consisting of various interface ‘widgets’ (not to be confused with the current Web Runtime Widgets), such as the signal indicator, softkeys, and that sort of thing. Direct UI is the glue that ties all the Orbit widgets together, and dictates how they interact with one another.
It should also be noted that, currently, this new ‘QOD’ (Qt + Orbit + Direct UI) interface is only applicable for touchscreen devices. There is currently not an accepted proposal for non-touchscreen devices, though that does not in any way indicate there will not be non-touchscreen devices running Symbian^4, only that we’re not quite sure what those would look like.
Basically, for consumers, there are a few major takeaways that you should keep in mind:
1. Symbian Foundation realizes that the current S60v5 interface needs a drastic overhaul, and is planning accordingly. While 2 years might not be fast enough for some outspoken fanboys, it’s important to note that completely replacing the UI of the world’s most widely-used operating system is not something that is easily – or quickly – accomplished. They’re taking steps to ensure that the result is not a hobbled-together interface, but one that will be stable, mature, and easy to use.
2. For developers, this is basically advanced warning for what’s going to happen in the next few years. Whereas when Nokia shifted from S60v2 to S60v3, there was only 1 year of notice to developers, and poor communication as to why and how to rewrite applications, Symbian Foundation is taking a much more open stance, letting developers know exactly what’s happening so that they can make proper plans.
Here’s a video of Ian Hutton, Symbian Foundation’s Chair of the Feature and Roadmap Council, explaining things a bit better:
Also, don’t be tempted to freak out if, like me, you prefer the non-touchscreen S60v3 FP2 over the new S60v5 touchscreen. Smart developers will understand that, while there will be new devices with a new UI, there is still a massive userbase of non-touchscreen S60v3 owners who love their phones, and continue to purchase, download, and install applications. The market for non-touchscreen apps will not instantly melt away.
