Mobile Web Browsing

Flash support

To obtain full internet functionality, you should have Adobe Flash in your target browser. Adobe Flash offers dynamic and interactive multimedia on websites; Flash video (FLV) currently has a 70 to 80 per cent market share for online video. Nokia was the first to deliver a complete on-the-go web video experience by providing Flash video integration with the WebKit browser. Today, Flash 9.4, integrated into the Maemo browser; Flash Lite 3 in Series 40 phones; and Flash Lite 3.1 in the Nokia WebKit browser all offer FLV playback.

Find out more about Flash Lite

Optimising web content

Optimising web content for mobile phones can help you maximise your site's traffic. While Maemo and WebKit browsers are capable of rendering full web pages, the fact that consumers may have to zoom in and zoom out on their phone's screens to see content clearly means their experience isn't optimal. Mobile optimisation is well worth considering, to deliver convenience to consumers and a better user experience.

Maximising user experience for each Nokia browsing solution

Hundreds of millions of Nokia phones with WebKit-based browsers are capable of rendering full web pages. However, optimising for the Nokia WebKit browser will deliver better user experiences (see Table 2). If you've optimised your web content for another WebKit-based mobile browser, such as the Apple Mobile Safari browser, you can reuse the templates and deliver the same content for consumption in Nokia WebKit browsers. In most cases template reuse works without changes, however testing is always worthwhile as no two browsers are identical. For the Nokia WebKit and Maemo™ Gecko browsers, it isn't desirable to simply deliver a 'standard' mobile site or a WAP site. However, for entry-level mobile phones, using a standard mobile site doesn't provide the best user experience, so optimisation is essential. Remember that the Nokia WebKit and Maemo browsers render Adobe Flash content well.

Table 2: The effects of optimising a website on user experience.

Getting started

Using standard web technologies, to achieve browser independence, is the place to start. For WebKit-based browsers, you can deliver the same content as you would for desktop browsers, but for the user’s convenience you may want to optimise the web content for these phones. To make the optimising process as painless as possible, there are examples, templates, and Mobile Web Components available. For mobile phones with Nokia Browser for Series 40 you may deliver your normal website and Nokia Browser for Series 40 will take care of adapting it to the phone capabilities. In general, it’s recommended that an optimised mobile site be delivered, because entry-level phones have resource limitations and cannot render full web pages gracefully.

To start your optimisation, first identify the browser by reading the UA String (as listed in Table 1, at the top of this page), then:

If it’s a WebKit-based browser

Deliver the content that you have optimised based on the examples, templates, and Mobile Web Components. Where you have optimised for another WebKit browser, such as the Apple iPhone, deliver that content. If you haven’t optimised, then deliver the full web page.

If it’s a mobile phone

Deliver a mobile site designed specifically for Nokia Browser for Series 40, Series 40 Lite browser, or for similar resource-constrained browsers. Consider using the templates to assist with design. If you don’t have a mobile or WAP site, deliver the content designed for a Nokia or other smartphones. If you haven’t optimised, then deliver the full web page.

Testing and user experience support

To test your optimised website on Nokia phones, Nokia offers three services for remote phone access. These services enable you to access Nokia phones over the Internet. Read more about the services

Consult the Nokia Developer User Experience section to discover how quality, usability, and design can affect how users interact with services on mobile phones.

Learn from the Nokia Developer Wiki and Discussion Boards

The Nokia Developer Wiki provides a wealth of information in its Web Browsing section. Here, members of the Nokia Developer community share information on using the web technologies implemented in Nokia phones. In addition, the Wiki holds the Nokia Developer Knowledge Base, which contains a library of known issues, technical solutions, and code snippets that could be of benefit to your development work.

The Browsing and Mobile Web Server Discussion Boards provide excellent forums for you to discuss how best to optimise your website for Nokia phones and to tap into the knowledge of the Nokia Developer community.