System Architecture

What’s new in v9.2

(Mark Shackman)

Symbian OS v9.2 is targeted to address the prosumer 3G handset market segment and represents a major step for the Symbian platform as it is the first product to be subject to a strict compatibility policy. This has delivered on Symbian's commitment to a backward binary compatible release to v9.1, whilst still providing key updates and improvements in the performance of the Symbian OS. This paper outlines those updates that will be of most interest to developers.
Read the paper (96kb)

Symbian OS v9.X SIS File Format Specification

This paper, written by Symbian's Security team, describes the newly restructured and redesigned SIS file format which is introduced to complement the new security architecture of Symbian OS v9.1. SIS files are used as the primary means of packaging files for deployment to a device, and are interpreted accordingly by the software installer. As well as simply containing files, the SIS file can contain conditional statements which influence the installation e.g. device specific installations, language-specific installations, and user-selectable optional components.Read the paper (351 Kb)

Migrating Applications to Symbian OS v9.1

(Mark Shackman)

The introduction of data caging and platform security in Symbian OS v9 has necessitated making some changes in the source code of an application that is being migrated to Symbian OS v9. This paper outlines the concepts behind the data caging and platform security, and then shows how to alter the application’s source code to enable it to be compiled for Symbian OS v9-based phones.Read the paper (120 Kb)

What's new for developers in Symbian OS v9.1?

(Mark Shackman)

Version 9 of Symbian OS introduces a new tool chain and Platform Security. This paper outlines the new and changed functionality in Symbian OS version 9, with extended details on the UI and Graphics API and the new Calendar API. Read the paper (100 Kb)

Evolving to Symbian OS v9

The major focus with Symbian OS v9 has been to ensure everything is in place to allow Symbian OS to be used in a wider range of handsets - the higher volume ‘mid range’ of handsets - ultimately leading to wider adoption of smartphones. Discover what it means to develop for Symbian OS v9 and migrate your applications. Read the paper (220 Kb)

Platform Security - a Technical Overview

version 1.2 - updated 11-05-06

Symbian OS version 9 is a major evolution of Symbian OS and includes enhancements to Platform Security (“PlatSec”). This paper gives an introduction to the way that PlatSec is implemented, with a particular focus on providing a technical overview of how PlatSec operates within the architecture of Symbian OS. Read the paper (120 Kb)

Implementing Platform Security for ISVs

Symbian OS version 9 is a major evolution of Symbian OS and includes enhancements to Platform Security (“PlatSec”). This paper gives an introduction to the way that PlatSec is implemented, with a particular focus on ensuring that you know how to update your programs to conform to and work within the PlatSec-enabled Symbian OS environment. Read the paper (280 Kb)

New IPC Mechanisms for Symbian OS

In the following we examine the new Inter-Process Communication mechanisms available to applications and servers in Symbian OS. Understanding when and how these are required is essential in properly architecting components and making optimum use of the OS capabilities. Read the paper (120 Kb) (updated at 24th of February 2005)

What's new for C++ developers in Symbian OS v8.1?

Version 8.1 of Symbian OS makes some significant architectural and performance improvements on v8.0, while maintaining binary and source compatibility. Support for Personal Area Networking using Bluetooth® wireless technology and a More systematic approach to documentation are also significant additions. Read the paper (147 Kb)

What's new for C++ developers in Symbian OS v8.0?

ersion 8.0 marks a significant evolution of Symbian OS from the v7.0s release one year previously. At the centre of this evolution is the inclusion of a new real-time kernel, known as EKA2 (distinguished from the previous EKA1). As well as facilitating the creation of single-CPU phones (i.e. with the telephony stack running on the same CPU as the OS), this new kernel delivers significant performance enhancements. Read the paper (203 Kb)

Overview of Symbian OS Hardware Interrupt Handling

Symbian OS has a lightweight 32-bit preemptive kernel that follows a hybrid design combining characteristics from both micro-kernel and monolithic kernel architectures. Understand how hardware interrupt handling works in this kernel architecture. Read the paper (145 Kb)

Symbian OS System Definition - Detailed View (updated to include v8.0)

This paper complements the Symbian OS system definition paper, giving a breakdown of exactly which binary files constitute each of the system categories. Taken together with the Symbian Developer Library's systematisation of which library each public method of Symbian OS is exported from, it becomes possible to ascertain which such methods are available on which phones. Read the paper

Crossing the Userland

Get under the hood and understand how executive calls, kernel server requests and interrupts work on Symbian OS. Read the paper (313 Kb)

Symbian OS System Definition

Many Symbian OS phones are coming to the market from mobile phone manufacturers and can be targeted by application developers. These phones use a variety of UI platforms providing different user interfaces. UI platform versions have corresponding SDKs. This paper discusses the relationship between Symbian OS versions and the derived SDK and phone products. Read the paper (408 Kb)

Symbian Doc Tagging Policy & Guidelines

From v7.0s Symbian has been automating its SDK and documentation build system based on embedding Doxygen-style doc tags in its system source code. These tags define inter alia the audience which an API is intended to be published for or used by (SDK users, partners or Symbian alone) and its life cycle status (whether it is prototype, released or deprecated). This work has reached its fruition in v8.1 with the API Reference section of the Symbian Developer Library generated automatically from a script which scans the system source code. Symbian is now publishing the doc tagging policy so you can better understand how it works. Read the paper (284 Kb)