Java support on future Nokia devices

I just read Nokia's software strategy paper ([url]http://www.nokia.com/NOKIA_COM_1/Technology/pdf/Nokia_software_strategy_white_paper.pdf?refresh[/url]) and started to wonder whether Nokia is backing off from supporting Java across all their devices in the future. In the paper, they say that JavaME will continue to be supported on Series 40 devices. But on Symbian Smartphones and the higher end Maemo based devices thay do not mention Java at all. Can someone shed any light on whether Nokia will continue to support Java across all devices or not? We have a lot of Java based code and are getting worried by the idea that Java on Nokia devices may not be supported or support may be reduced. Any inputs or confirmation from folks on the discussion board including any Nokia people would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Girish Rai
XWMedia

I doubt that you're going to find much public info about such details regarding Nokia's future plans.

OTOH, around 2004 Nokia was very sure (in a JavaOne keynote) that the company would move from CLDC to full CDC Java, too. Hasn't happened yet.

Nokia's problem is of multiple runtimes: native Symbian C++, Qt, Java, Flash, WRT, Silverlight, Python & who knows what else is in the works.

This does of course offer "freedom" and "choice", but creates also a big mess as to what to use a developer, due to the multiple different versions and different mix of technologies chosen/used by different devices (with their own different firmware peculiarities that add to the confusion).

For your particular question: When Nokia releases its first Symbian based device that has no Java support, then you can start to be worried. Worrying before that is a waste of energy. And even then, worrying is a waste of energy. ;)

Adding to that: there is currently no support for Java on Maemo. Nokia [i]might[/i] choose to support it in the future, but don't hold your breath.

On S60, Nokia have recently released an entire new Java runtime environment, which suggests to me that there is at least some commitment to Java on S60.

Graham.

Also another coupel of points :
- Maemo is fusing with Intel to create the newborn baby MeeGo... Previous plans for Nokia were to produce 1 more Maemo device in 2010, but who knows what this joint venture now may lead to ?
- Nokia anounced they would like to bring Symbian to the mainstream market and not only on their high end devices, this version of Symbian actually has good Java support...
- Symbian ^3... Will arrive somewhere end of this year ? or not ? Will it support Java ? And if so which version ?

As you can see a lot of questions :P Personally I think Java will be supported on main stream devices for the next couple of years, after that it's everyones guess, personally I think it will become more and more new world computing, thus every manufacturer will have it's own sandboxed OS (iPhone OS, Maemo-Meego, Android etc)...

[QUOTE=Tiger79;715613]
- Symbian ^3... Will arrive somewhere end of this year ? or not ? Will it support Java ? And if so which version ?
[/QUOTE]

Symbian^3 will support Java, but it will not include Java. Adding Java (and which version) to a device based on Symbian is up to the device manufacturer. So far, all Nokia's Symbian devices have had Java in one form or another.

Hello,

Nokia continues to support Java ME. If the SW strategy text is read carefully through it states Java ME support for both Series 40 and Symbian also in future. In Symbian devices Java is not a strategical focus area however, that's the reason why the paper talks of e.g. Qt more. Qt is lot more feature rich application framework than Java ME. In Nokia smartphone platforms (Symbian and MeeGo) Qt plays fundamental role being selected as the "native" application development stack.

Java continues to be important for Symbian as there's lot of customers using that. So we continue supporting these existing business cases for Java also in future for Symbian. For Series 40 Java is the primary 3rd party application runtime and used a lot also internally in Nokia. That means also that Java has important role for platform compatibility for applications spanning across Series 40 and Symbian devices.

Symbian^3 and Symbian^4 are all supporting Java ME. See more about the Java plans for Symbian from this blog post:
[url]http://blogs.forum.nokia.com/blog/java-runtime-for-s60-blog[/url]

Nokia Symbian^3 devices will include Java Runtime 2.1 for Symbian. We are also in process of open sourcing Nokia made JRT for Symbian Foundation. This was announced already last year at Symbian Exchange event. There's very small differences to the feature set of the JRT in Symbian Foundation to the product in Nokia Symbian devices (see earlier blog post).

Nokia API code for JRT is EPL licensed like any other SF code. IBM is contributing the J9 VM to Foundation with separate license.

-Aleksi Uotila
Product Manager, Java Runtime for Symbian

Everyone
Thanks for your responses.

Aleksi -
Thanks for the information including the link to the roadmap charts. Very helpful. Assuming that Nokia sticks to the roadmap, the situation is satisfactory regarding Series 40 and Symbian^3 and ^4 based devices.

Any plans on Java support on Maemo based devices? Or do you expect developers to rewrite apps if they want to transition to Maemo/Meego based devices.

Best regards,
Girish Rai
CTO, XWMedia

I'm really glad to hear that Symbian^3 and Symbian^4 are safe,
I can't imagine a Symbian OS without JavaME.

Is there some news about JavaME on Meego?

are you serious?

[QUOTE=sblantipodi;719590]I'm really glad to hear that Symbian^3 and Symbian^4 are safe,
I can't imagine a Symbian OS without JavaME.[/QUOTE]

even I am happy. I will be more than worried if I get to hear abt symbain without Java ME support...!

as I am already thinking if pursuing ma carrer in Hand Held Device Application Development.

well don't worry, even in the worst case scenario in which J2ME would be dropped there would be still many career-opportunities for mobile developers.. just think all the other available platforms (iOS, Wave, Android, WM, Qt etc)...

In my opinion, Nokia will continue to support J2ME. According to Ovi downloads figures, statistics from operators and from game companies, java downloads are still very important.
Services are increasingly important in buyer's decision. Think about people buying a gaming console: do they choose one because of the gigapixels it can draw, or do they choose the console with the games they want to play? (Nintendo won that battle to Sony and Microsoft). Of course Nokia will not let out one important source of value added services for their phones!

Futhermore, we as mobile developers, we're not going to migrate to Symbian or any other language any time soon (at least for our main mobile projects). We still can do most of the things we do (games and general public apps) with java. Why bother migrating?

hehe, depends on where the money is m8 ;)
also I am interested in where you get he Ovi download figures ? Specifically where the amount of java apps against, for example, native symbian apps ?