Symbian today announced its latest set of figures. In Q3 2007 20.4 million Symbian OS handsets were shipped representing 56% year on year growth (13 million in Q3 2006). The total number of Symbian OS handset shipped has now reached 165 million. The average royalty per handset is now $4.80 (down from $5.20 last year following license fee reductions).
A group of companies, led by Google, today announced the formation of the Open Handset Alliance (OHA) and the development of Android, a Linux based software platform for mobile devices. Other companies involved include T-Mobile, Qualcomm, HTC, Samsung and Motorola and the first phones based on Android are scheduled to be available in the second half of 2008. Read on for more.
Both Ewan and I caught up with David Quin from ALK at the recent Smartphone Show, to find out about the new CoPilot Live 7, becoming available for both S60 and UIQ. My video podcast was something of a lighting disaster and has been scrapped, but fear not for Ewan has a complete interview with David in AAS audio podcast 44.
Also part of a whole new Google Mail (on the Web) application, there's a new Google Contacts manager now out. What's now needed, guys, is a SyncML server so that we can sync S60 (and UIQ) smartphone contacts and calendar entries directly to Google's PIM data. At which point, who needs Microsoft Outlook? At all?
Nokia Multimedia Transfer 1.2 Beta for Mac just got Leopard-compatible! It also adds an improved Nokia Device Browser with folder view and the ability to customise the transcoding of files in iTunes and iPhoto transfers.
Si Brindley has spotted that there's a (hidden) new version of Nokia Multimedia Transfer that works with Apple's new Leopard on the Mac. You have to use the exact URL though. There are new features, too - customizable transcoding settings and the option to transcode all files if so desired.
You'll have noticed from the prize table at the AAS pub meet that we were fans of Proporta's Mobile Device Charger. It seems that we're not the only ones. It just got voted Best Accessory at the PDA Essentials Awards 2007 in the BAFTA Theatre in London. Oh, and here's my original review.
Perhaps overshadowed by some of the announcements and devices at the Smartphone Show, Symbian also quietly released a lot of interesting numbers and stats. Read on for the headline figures that I've been able to dig up and comments on the Symbian world and the industry in general. Includes the latest Canalys numbers from Symbian's own licensed reports.
