Symbian^3 with SPB Shell 5/3D

[dankoi]

Dear Nokia!

As lately the company has issues about smartphone sellings and compete with Android and iOs I had an idea to make current (and hopefully long living) Symbian smartphones better.
As far as I know there is an ongoing development at SPB Software called Shell 5 or Shell 3D. It is a realy useful tool to make symbian experience to a much higher level. Nokia should discuss with SPB Sofware to make this new shell integrated to Symbian^3 makeing everyone pleased.
Customers could get a new GUI for their devices which is at least as good or even better than Android or iOS.
SPB Software could get money after every sold Symbian^3 device (for example $5 on each device included in sell price).
Nokia would have a quick upgrade for their smartphones and could sell more devices then currently and get back to the top.

[symbianyucca]

There is already a nice road map for UI improvements for Symbian, thus I would doubt a bit that there would be any need for another UI layer that would probably mean huge breaks on compatibility of old software.

[dankoi]

Thank you for your answer!

It is good to know that there is a roadmap but currently they are not shared with current owners and future customers. I saw pictures of Anna and Belle but Anna brings only (in UI level) new icons and Belle seems to keep the current HS with expanded widgets (which is good but dont know when it comes).
To keep current and get new customers Nokia should show what and when planned for Symbian.
And the keyword is SHOW! Let everyone know that Symbian is not dead and will get real support for years.

"I would doubt a bit that there would be any need for another UI layer..."
Well, the current situation tells you are wrong. Everyone talks about how old Symbian UI is (despite of its effiency) and how much better the rivals has.
"...that would probably mean huge breaks on compatibility of old software."
Based on SPB Shell 3.7 the current widgets fully compatible and baceuse this is a homescreen UI there are no compatibility issues (it only replaces homescreen and menu, nothing else).

[symbianyucca]

I think the main complaints have not been about the home screen, I would see the current home screen implementation being rather good one, you can basically put any widgets there as you wish and customize it pretty well.

[dankoi]

The current homescreen is efficient and flexible but looks way outdated next to the rivals. A simple customer sees only the shiny outfit (unfortunately) not the inside values.
What do you mean on "customize it pretty well"? Current implementation allows positioning only (in system level ofcourse, the widget it self can be customizable) as far as i know.

"I think the main complaints have not been about the home screen."
Then could you tell me what kind of complains being treated curretnly by the dev team? Can you give some details on the mentioned UI road map?

[ltomuta]

dankoi, you seem be be posting on the wrong forum, with the wrong expectations. This is a site for 3rd party application developers support and they discuss on this forum about software development related issues.

If you are a developer, interested in creating an alternative shell app, such as SPB', or interested in developing custom widgets, I would suggest you do ask technical questions regarding the respective areas. Of course these would have to be restricted to what is currently available, i.e. S^3 and Symbian Anna

Otherwise speculating about the improvements you have seen on a screenshot taken from an OS release currently under development is risky business, there are lots of details you are obviously missing, and we are not able to discuss any such details now. As a customer you will have to wait for Nokia's official announcements in this area and then decide whether you are happy with the outcome or not.

[petrib]

And, FWIW, I don't think Nokia would ever pay USD5/device as royalties to any app software vendor; even USD0.05/devices is unlikely. Even when Nokia paid "full" price for the Symbian OS to Symbian Ltd, it didn't pay USD5/device for the whole OS.

[dankoi]

Sorry if it is not the right forum to post on but could not find any other topic that fits for suggestions.

Speculating: I just wanted to point the fact that at least communicating the new releases better and more would be profitable. I know that pushing the software development is affecting the outcome so as a current and future Nokia/Symbian user I do not want it.

Integrating SPB Shell was an idea that born form not knowing the future of Symbian.
However about the last informations i got about Anna/Belle are promising but still not confirmed by an official source.

petrib:
$5 was a number not fix price. however if Nokias market share would depend on it then maybe it would be reasonable. A quick upgrade always more expensive than a slow one in one way. Time is essential now for Nokia as I see.