May 24, 2013 at 14:08Introducing Nokia Asha Platform
Most recently, we announced the Nokia Asha Developer Bootcamp event . And now, in connection with the release of Nokia Asha 501, built on the basis of the Nokia Asha platform, we want to introduce you to the new, wide possibilities that it provides. The platform will be especially interesting to developers, as it will allow them to enter the promising market of low-cost smartphones. So, we plan to sell about one hundred million Asha next-generation smartphones in the next two years.
Many popular applications are already available or under development for Nokia Asha Platform: CNN, eBuddy, ESPN, Facebook, Foursquare, Line, LinkedIn, Nimbuzz, Pictelligent, The Weather Channel, Twitter, WeChat, WhatsApp, World of Red Bull, as well games from Electronic Arts, Gameloft, Indiagames, Namco-Bandai and Reliance Games. More applications will be available in the coming months.
Now is the time to start writing applications for the updated platform - we have already prepared convenient development tools, at your service are also ample opportunities for selling and advertising, including the new Nokia In-App Payment tool.
Key platform features:
1. Standardization
Increased attention is paid to the combination of software and hardware. This gives developers the confidence that if they use any hardware component in their application, then it will be available on all smartphones of the Asha family.
2.Update
Smartphone users rely on regular software updates to add new features and functions to their devices. Nokia Asha platform is built with these expectations in mind and updates for it are currently under development.
3. Ease of use
Attractive user interface optimized for 3-inch QVGA displays. It uses scrolling gestures to switch between applications and the home screen, as well as to navigate the home screen itself. Applications can use the entire screen, hiding the status lines and menus until they are called with a special gesture.
4. New cutting-edge applications
Creating full-featured applications using Java is now easier. Advanced features, such as 2D and 3D graphics, the use of accelerometers and location information, allow you to create high-quality applications - such as what users of smartphones expect to receive.
5. Web applications
When using web applications, content is downloaded to the device, which allows you to consume 90% less data. The user interface becomes interactive: in contrast to the proxy browser system, Nokia Asha web applications can update it locally on the smartphone.
Nokia Asha software platform allows you to develop applications using two technologies: Java ME and web applications. Java is ideal for creating applications and games that require rich functionality and high performance requirements, and web technologies can be used for applications focused on delivering online content in an attractive, traffic-saving way.
Nokia Asha Software Development Kit 1.0 supports the development, testing, packaging and hosting of Java applications for the Nokia Asha platform.
The APIs in this SDK include:
- Application Localization Tools (JSR238).
- Nokia alerts.
- File selection.
- Image scaling.
- Network status.
- Phone settings.
- Contacts.
Learn more and download Asha SDK 1.0 here .
Asha web application tools include a web development environment (WDE) and integrated development environment (IDE), which can be used to create and edit Nokia Asha web applications. The kit also includes an easy-to-use Web Inspector for debugging and inspecting elements.
Downloading tools for creating web applications is available here .
This new tool will simplify the sale of content within applications. It gives users the ability to make purchases easily and safely, and also provides payout transparency. Nokia In-App Payment will be available for existing Asha and Series 40 devices (starting from the 6th version of the platform and above, with the exception of Nokia C1-01 and C1-02 models). In contrast to the existing payment tool, the Nokia In-App Payment application is characterized by the possibility of one-click payment, payment without registration and backward compatibility with the Series 40 platform. The public beta version will be available in the coming weeks, but for now you can sign up for testing using the link .
Applications for the new Asha platform are very easy to publish using the Nokia Store . Since its inception, it has already provided over 10 billion downloads in total.
Many popular applications are already available or under development for Nokia Asha Platform: CNN, eBuddy, ESPN, Facebook, Foursquare, Line, LinkedIn, Nimbuzz, Pictelligent, The Weather Channel, Twitter, WeChat, WhatsApp, World of Red Bull, as well games from Electronic Arts, Gameloft, Indiagames, Namco-Bandai and Reliance Games. More applications will be available in the coming months.
Now is the time to start writing applications for the updated platform - we have already prepared convenient development tools, at your service are also ample opportunities for selling and advertising, including the new Nokia In-App Payment tool.
Key platform features:
1. Standardization
Increased attention is paid to the combination of software and hardware. This gives developers the confidence that if they use any hardware component in their application, then it will be available on all smartphones of the Asha family.
2.Update
Smartphone users rely on regular software updates to add new features and functions to their devices. Nokia Asha platform is built with these expectations in mind and updates for it are currently under development.
3. Ease of use
Attractive user interface optimized for 3-inch QVGA displays. It uses scrolling gestures to switch between applications and the home screen, as well as to navigate the home screen itself. Applications can use the entire screen, hiding the status lines and menus until they are called with a special gesture.
4. New cutting-edge applications
Creating full-featured applications using Java is now easier. Advanced features, such as 2D and 3D graphics, the use of accelerometers and location information, allow you to create high-quality applications - such as what users of smartphones expect to receive.
5. Web applications
When using web applications, content is downloaded to the device, which allows you to consume 90% less data. The user interface becomes interactive: in contrast to the proxy browser system, Nokia Asha web applications can update it locally on the smartphone.
Nokia Asha software platform allows you to develop applications using two technologies: Java ME and web applications. Java is ideal for creating applications and games that require rich functionality and high performance requirements, and web technologies can be used for applications focused on delivering online content in an attractive, traffic-saving way.
New Nokia Asha SDK and Nokia Asha Web Application Tools
Nokia Asha Software Development Kit 1.0 supports the development, testing, packaging and hosting of Java applications for the Nokia Asha platform.
The APIs in this SDK include:
- Application Localization Tools (JSR238).
- Nokia alerts.
- File selection.
- Image scaling.
- Network status.
- Phone settings.
- Contacts.
Learn more and download Asha SDK 1.0 here .
Asha web application tools include a web development environment (WDE) and integrated development environment (IDE), which can be used to create and edit Nokia Asha web applications. The kit also includes an easy-to-use Web Inspector for debugging and inspecting elements.
Downloading tools for creating web applications is available here .
Nokia In-App Payment
This new tool will simplify the sale of content within applications. It gives users the ability to make purchases easily and safely, and also provides payout transparency. Nokia In-App Payment will be available for existing Asha and Series 40 devices (starting from the 6th version of the platform and above, with the exception of Nokia C1-01 and C1-02 models). In contrast to the existing payment tool, the Nokia In-App Payment application is characterized by the possibility of one-click payment, payment without registration and backward compatibility with the Series 40 platform. The public beta version will be available in the coming weeks, but for now you can sign up for testing using the link .
Nokia Store
Applications for the new Asha platform are very easy to publish using the Nokia Store . Since its inception, it has already provided over 10 billion downloads in total.