Apple, Nokia Partner on Mobile Web Browser

June 12th, 2005 at 3:00 PM - Reports by Brad Gibson

Apple Computer and Nokia have been cooperating on developing a new mobile Web browser for the mobile phone makeris Series 60 SmartPhone, it was announced Monday. Nokia said is has been working with Apple on developing an open source browser using many of the same software tools Apple has used in developing its Safari Web browser.

"The Series 60 browser will use the same open source components, WebCore and JavaScriptCore, that Apple uses in its popular Safari Internet browser," the statement read. "Nokia intends to continue its collaboration with Apple and actively participate in the open source community to further develop and enhance these components, contributing Nokiais expertise in mobility."

Safari is based on KHTML and KJS from KDEis "Konqueror" open source project.

Nokia said the new browser "aims at an unparalleled user experience when browsing full Web pages on a smartphone screen - over wireless connections with the top performance in the mobile industry.

"Open source development also enables close cooperation with the industryis best innovators, such as Apple," Nokia chief technology officer Pertti Korhonen, said. "Both Apple and Nokia share a commitment to Internet standards and the use of a common code. The unified and compatible browser bas will offer a very compelling choice for Web content developers."

The new Series 60 browser will be available to all Series 60 licensees as a standard Series 60 application "during the first half of 2006." No manufacturer has yet announced if or when it will ship new phones using the new Series 60 browser. At present, there are more than 20 Series 60 based phones launched from several phone manufacturers.