We are creating an open and free software platform for the mobile industry by combining the assets of Symbian, S60, UIQ and MOAP(S), and contributing them to a new not-for-profit Foundation that will share the access, manage, unify and de-fragment the platform.

The Foundation will further strengthen the development and adoption of the most advanced and widely used converged device platform on the market, with over 200 million S60 based devices shipped, making it the most attractive open platform for all ecosystem partners.

The founding members of Symbian Foundation share the vision that the unified Foundation platform will supercharge innovation and accelerate the availability of new services and compelling experiences for consumers and business users around the world, bringing growth to the mobile industry and creating greater value for everyone.

This move will create an open software platform for the mobile industry by combining the assets of Symbian, S60, UIQ and MOAP(S), and bringing them to the foundation that will share the access, manage, and unify the platform.

The combined platform is already one of the most advanced and widely used mobile platforms, making it highly attractive for all ecosystem partners, including developers, mobile operators, content and service providers and device manufacturers.

The Foundation will drive compatibility across devices, securing the economies of scale for efficient development. This consistency and compatibility will enable the whole eco-system to supercharge innovation and accelerate the availability of new services and compelling experiences for consumers and business users around the world. Furthermore, the foundation’s platform will preserve and build on existing investments in Symbian, S60, UIQ and MOAP(S). This secures existing plans as well as investments in the platform, in services and in applications, and ensures business model continuity for the existing strong developer base.

Also, the Foundation will offer transparency and access to the source code in an open model. The foundation set-up has been designed to secure transparency, encourage contribution and maintain platform consistency. The foundation will promote collaboration, contributions and active participation.

The platform embraces and combines proven technologies to provide the most complete and consistent platform. The code will be open to all members and all members can contribute from start. There will be greater possibilities for innovation since the source will be available for all members to try out and implement new concepts and ideas around.

Foundation membership is open to all who accept the terms and pay the fees, with a nominal annual fee of $1,500 USD. There will be only one level of membership. However there are additional requirements to get seats in the Board and councils.

The independent Symbian Foundation will support the community, provide transparency and make the source code available to foundation members. The Foundation will be responsible for consolidating the software roadmap, releasing the software package based on Foundation member input and marketing and promoting the platform and providing support to 3rd-party developers via its developer program.

The Foundation will be governed by its Board of Directors. The board is to consist of representatives from all foundation members. The foundation will operate as a meritocracy based on contribution, with the foundation holding annual elections to appoint members to the Board of Directors. Membership-based councils then govern critical decisions for the platform:

• Feature Roadmapping Council will define the platform roadmap and releases, and initiates projects.
• Architecture Council will ensure that the foundation maintains one common platform.
• Release Council will establish and coordinate releases.
• User Interface (UI) Council will approve UI fundamentals and defines UI guidelines and requirements.

The members of the foundation’s Board of Director will also have seats in each council, with additional seats available for other foundation members. The foundation will operate as a meritocracy with board and council membership allotted based on contribution to the platform.

The foundation will manage the platform’s transparent development process. This process will ensure the opportunity for all members to contribute to and influence to the foundation’s platform. The foundation software releases are to be planned in the Feature Roadmapping Council, then validated by Architecture Council, and approved by Board of Directors. The process is to operate in a “time boxed” manner, i.e. schedule overrides content in terms of priority conflicts.

All foundation asset development is to be done in project mode by foundation members.

The platform is divided into technology packages and each package has an Owner that is responsible for development of the area, reception and integration of contributions, submission to foundation master code-line, and required maintenance work. Ownerships are divided among Foundation Members based on Board decisions.

The Foundation’s software organization will manage releases, ensure integrity, and validate compliancy. Prioritization and scheduling of components is to be based on market impact and will be handled as per foundation governance principles.

The Foundation platform will be available to all members under the Foundation’s royalty free license from the Foundation’s first day of operation. Members will also work through the Foundation to move the platform to Open Source under the Eclipse Public License during next two years to further extend the reach of this leading collaborative mobile community. This will make the platform code available to all for free.

The Foundation platform will be available to all members under Foundation’s royalty free license agreement from the Foundation’s first day of operation.

The Foundation’s role is to drive compatibility through promoting collaboration, contributions and active participation e.g. via its infrastructure and ecosystem support functions.

Issues such as compatibility with the vast amount of apps and services already today available for Symbian devices and managing maintenance burden will be a key driver for OEM’s to keep the platform unfragmented.

The Symbian Foundation will deliver a consistent platform, as major device manufacturers are committed to adopting and ensuring the compatibility of the foundation’s platform. The Foundation’s software organization will manage releases, ensure integrity, and validate compliancy. Going forward, you will know that where you see the foundation’s brand you will know there is compatibility.

This strong innovation platform will increase and accelerate the availability of new services and experience, with innovations brought to a proven user experience, easier access to more service and appealing devices to address consumer needs from multiple vendors.

For all Foundation members this will mean royalty free access to the market leading Smartphone platform, a complete platform with operating system UI and application framework, access to source code, and transparency in platform development. All Symbian customers can join as members – by accepting the Foundation membership agreement.

Foundation assets will be offered to the OSS community in a staged approach to further extend the leading collaborative mobile community. Target is to have the complete platform in open source in 2 years time.

This proven industry platform allows developers to extend innovations to mobile, with large addressable market across several device vendors

The complete platform with one UI and application framework allows for efficient development across wide, segmented, device portfolio and high volumes. Foundation branding ensures compatibility across devices, securing the economics of development. Backwards compatibility with earlier S60 releases ensures business model continuity for the strong, existing developer base, and enables to start or continue development already today.

The Foundation intends to host a developer program as the single point of access for developer support ensuring that the developer ecosystem is well served. Wide offering of tools, SDK’s and API ensure ability to develop from the Foundation’s first day of operation. It is not necessary to even be a Foundation member to get access to these. Embracing technologies already used by the developer community allows for efficient use of existing assets and competencies. One can, in fact, start developing today for the future using the tools available for Symbian and S60; reaching a huge existing market with compatibility guaranteed for the future.

Also, developers who are Foundation members will have access to all source code from Foundation’s first day of operation. For others, source code will be available as the platform is moved to open source.