The Qt labs team has just announced the release candidate (RC) for its Qt Software Development Kit (SDK) 1.1. This follows from its recent beta release. The final release, following this RC, will allow developers to take advantage of all the latest Qt features and submit Qt 4.7 based applications to the Ovi Store. However, it should be noted that Qt 4.7 will not support S60 3rd Edition, which sadly, but predictably, points to a deprecation of that version of Symbian. Read on for more details.

The announcement on Qt Labs stated the following as the release candidate's key features:

• Qt 4.7.3 is included for Desktop and Symbian
  
  
• Update to Qt Mobility 1.1.2
   
• Qt Assistant added as separate package (due to developer request)
   
• Installer can use system proxy on Linux
   
• Notification API moved from experimental to “Additional APIs”
   
• Several fixes for the Qt Simulator
   
• Several fixes for the installation/updating workflow

A more detailed statement was given on Forum Nokia about the release, summarised below:

• Final testing with this release candidate will be carried out over the next two weeks.
   
• S60 3rd Edition will no longer be supported in Qt 4.7.
  
  
• S60 3rd Edition support is limited to Qt 4.6.3 and Qt Mobility 1.1.2.
  
  
• The S60 3rd Edition decision was based on beta testing feedback.
  
  
• Version 1.0 of the Qt SDK will be withdrawn when version 1.1 is officially released.
  
  
• Version 1.1 of the SDK will support Qt 4.6 and 4.7.

Developers wanting to test this release candidate can leave feedback at http://bugreports.qt.nokia.com/

David Gilson for All About Symbian, 6th April 2011