Digia integrates Chinese 3G into S60 platform

Published by Rafe Blandford at 10:36 UTC, August 12th 2008

Digia has announced it has integrated TD-SCDMA to the S60 platform. TD-SCDMA is the version of 3G being used in China with networks covering 8 major cities and more to follow. The solution will enable manufacturers to reduce device development time as they will be able to use a ready-to-go software and hardware package (specifically a TD-SCDMA/EDGE modem from ST-NXP Wireless). This should help increase S60's market penetration in China.

Extract from the press release:

Tuukka Turunen, Director, Special Projects from Digia continues: "It is a great advantage for a phone manufacturer to be able to leverage the capabilities of S60 platform in order to bring high-end 3G phones to the rapidly growing Chinese market."

TD-SCDMA networks are currently operational in eight major Chinese cities and coverage is planned to shortly cover all major cities. As the only 3G network technology already accepted in China TD-SCDMA is expected to become the main 3G access technology. The number of TD-SCDMA devices will grow rapidly in China similarly as has already happened with WCDMA 3G devices in Europe.

Digia Telephony Solution for TD-SCDMA allows mobile phone manufacturers to efficiently create 3G phones for the Chinese market and to leverage their existing investment for Symbian and S60. Compatible with the current Nokia S60 and the new Symbian Foundation technologies, Digia Telephony Solution is a future proof choice for 3G TD-SCDMA phones.


 

Filed: Home > News > Digia integrates Chinese 3G into S60 platform

Platforms: S60 3rd Edition

Categories: Hardware, Industry

News Discussion

Tzer2
Another one of those incredibly significant stories that no one will notice.

If S60 can get a foothold in China (which is plausible as S60 handsets are getting so cheap and China is getting so rich) that would be an enormous boost for the platform, as the Chinese smartphone market could eventually be bigger than Europe's.
Unregistered
The general media: "Hey, forget that, lets talk about a handset with a comparatively tiny user base, considerably inferior hardware, but lots of hype! iPhone! iPhone! iPhone!"
N/A
Most/many of the Nokia S60 devices are already sold in China without 3G (WCDMA) as there are not yet any WCDMA networks operational in China.

TD-SCDMA is a China-specific competitive 3G alternative, and China has waited until it is ready for deployment, before allowing other (competing) 3G technologies to get a foothold.
ashu
i do not know about this technology. But it looks like cdma based 3g. Is this true? What will happen to super loyal iPhone lovers in china then? If its not gsm, what will nikolay (a letter from the iPhone world) do!!!.
:)
davidmaxwaterma
S60 phones already sell massively in China, and have done for many years. Of course, it's usually the cheapest ones (my friend has a 6120c, iirc), but there are plenty of n95. I used to see at least one every day when I lived in Beijing. Yes, Series40 phones sell more, but still, as an S60 developer, China was one of our biggest markets (with Russia, India and Indonesia being the others) - and that was judging from OTA downloads (using network-id/etc) so usage of internet/cell isn't that uncommon either, which I find more surprising.
Rafe
Indeed China is already a significant market for S60, but in the longer term integration like this will only help. It'll be interesting to see what happens with the regulatory framework in China over the next few years.

Rafe

Full thread: 6 Comments / Post New Comment

Search

Navigation

Social

Advert

Translate

Also All About