Digia has announced it has developed a new browser for the UIQ 3 platform - Digia @Web. The browser is based on a port of the open-source webkit browser engine (as used in S60's Browser) and be controlled using finger touch. Features include page control with finger, four zoom levels, intelligent bookmarks, URL auto-completion, full screen browsing and screen rotation. A beta of the browser will be available later in June and will be available for all touch enabled UIQ 3 devices.

The browser engine is based on the open-source S60 webkit engine version 3.1 which has been ported to UIQ platform by Digia. Features on the engine include support for HTML 4.1, Javascript 1.5, HTTP 1.1 (secure and normal), HTTP Cache, HTTP Cookies and AJAX support. Webkit is also used in Apple's Safari browser, the Apple iPhone and will be the browser engine for Google's Android platform.

The porting of the S60 webkit engine underlines the increasing important of open-source components in the Symbian ecosystem. Sharing software components between platforms is likely to become increasingly common in the future.

The browser will be available for the P990, P1i, W950, W960, M600, G700 and G900. The current standard UIQ browser is Opera 8.5x. Opera 9.5 will be used in UIQ 3.3 devices, but it is not clear whether it will be made publicly available for earlier UIQ devices (Opera licensing for UIQ devices is via though manufacturers who will make any distribution decisions). Consumers are therefore likely to welcome, with open arms, an additional browser on the UIQ platform.

Here's what Digia have to say about @Web:

Digia Plc has created a first fully finger touch controllable web browser for UIQ based mobile phones. Designed for UIQ 3 and Symbian OS the Digia @Web provides user oriented mobile browsing experience. Browser is based on the open-source webkit browser engine ported to UIQ by Digia, and a whole new browser UI that gives powerful and intuitive access to true web content.

Mobile browsing is gaining huge popularity due to flat rate 3G data access and possibility to use WLAN connections. Digia @Web empowers mobile phone users with browser designed to give the optimal mobile browsing experience. Direct access to true web content is achieved through the first full finger touch browser interface designed by Digia.

Jari-Pekka Heikkilä, VP Smartphone from Digia says: "We see internet content becoming more and more important for users of mobile phones, and browser as the single most important application in the truly converged devices. By creating the new browser we want to provide the users of UIQ based mobile phones the opportunity to see the web as it has been intended."

Tuukka Turunen, Director, Special Projects from Digia continues: "We chose webkit as the engine for our browser because it is fast and reliable, and allows web content to be seen in its true form. By combining the open-source webkit engine with our new and intuitive browser UI we have created the best and most powerful tool to surf the web with touch enabled UIQ phones."

Digia have a long history in the Symbian world as system integrators and software specialist and are ideally suited to the task of porting webkit to UIQ.

Some additional details are available on the Digia website.

Here's a mock up of the browser running on the W960.

We will bring you further details and a full review once the beta is made available.