Symbian Operating System
Symbian is a mobile phone operating system and computing platform that is used in the process of developing a machine-human interface; it is a system that converts machine language into human language and vice versa (Lin and Weiguo 40). Translation of computer language to human language and contrariwise enables people to interact and use their devices for specific purposes. The essence of developing Symbian is to provide a platform that will promote the use of mobile phone devices for diverse functions that are necessary for improved human life. It is the invention of such mobile phone operating system that leads to the realization of smartphones and the increased capabilities of cell phones (Lin andWeiguo 47).
History of Symbian Operating System
Symbian Limited, a U.K. software development company that has its headquarters located in Sourthwark U.K. (Ortiz 7), developed the Symbian operating system. The mobile operating software was developed in 1998 to provide human-user interface for use in cell phones. The operating system was initially a closed-source type that was adapted for the PDAs in 1998; it has since undergone various transformations resulting from invention and the need to satisfy the human demand (Ortiz 9). Until 2001, the operating system required the use of a middleware to aid in the completion of the system thereby making it less adaptive to consumer needs. NOKIA was the first mobile manufacturing company to develop ownership license when it developed the S60 operating systems. After that, NOKIA adapted the use of Symbian operating systems for its subsequent smartphones, which saw the drastic growth of Symbian software (Ortiz 12). Motorola and Sony Ericsson also adapted the use of UIQ, one of the Symbian products as their preferred operating system (Ortiz 14).
Success of Symbian Operating System
Success in the application of the mobile operating system can be traced to 1998 when the application was invented. The initial version of the operating system had primary application that could aid in the process of simple mobile communication. The development of Symbian OS 6.6 and 6.1 version in 2001 was a milestone achievement in the Symbian industry; this version introduced the use of blue-tooth technology to enhance transfer of data between mobile phones that are located close to each other physically. Another achievement was recorded with the introduction of Symbian 9.1 version that upgraded the existing 1.2 blue-tooth application to 2.0, which implied that the new version enhanced fast transfer of data (Ortiz 17). Additional success was registered with the introduction of Symbian 8.0, which had high internet speeds and downloading capabilities. The greatest success, however, that Symbian achieved was the development of Symbian 9.5 version. The said version was incorporated into the mobile digital television broadcast and location services which meant that people using mobile phones integrated with this operating system could watch television from their handsets.
Operation Application and Failures
Applications of this mobile phone operating system vary from browsing services, that is, the viewing of information on the internet if the system is web-enabled (Lin and Weiguo 64). The OS is also enabled to send messages, photos and data across mobile phone, however, the speed of transferring the data varies from one version of the Symbian to the other. The operating system is also enabled to synchronize data since it is USB-enabled; it also promotes the process of mobile telephony among others.
The Symbian downfall started in 2010 due to the introduction of Android operating system which outsmarted Symbian by manufacturing superior operating system. However, Symbian had its shortcomings, which includes a poor interface that is outdated. Interface is the first thing that strikes the mind of users and impresses them when they interact with the application. Symbian did not improve its appearance with time. The second failure of Symbian owes to the changing nature of the system; this leads to delays and therefore, the need to switch to other platforms that offer faster speeds. Additionally, Symbian is associated with outdated browsers, which do not meet consumer needs. Finally, the operating system has less application, which has rendered it less competitive (Coursen 8).
Conclusion
In conclusion, Symbian is the application that introduced humans to the world of smartphones; the operating system made milestone achievements in the technology sector due to constant improvement of its system. Symbian, however, did not position itself perfectly after 2010; this led to its failure to keep up with competition which has led to the near extinction of the operating system.
Works Cited
Coursen, Shane. “The Future of Mobile Malware.” Network Security 2007.8 (2007): 7-11.
Lin, Feida, and Weiguo Ye. “Operating System Battle in the Ecosystem of Smartphone Industry.” Information Engineering and Electronic Commerce, 2009. IEEC’09. International Symposium on. IEEE, 2009. doi: 10.1109/IEEC.2009.136
Ortiz, C. Enrique. “An Introduction to the Symbian OS™ Platform for Palm OS® Developers.” Metrowerks Corp 21.