Smartphone 2003 SDK and Platform Details Available

With a newly released SDK, developers can build applications for Windows Mobile 2003–based Smartphones, which have already launched in China and are expected to launch in Europe by the end of 2003. The SDK confirms that the new features of these devices will be very similar to those of the latest phone-equipped Pocket PCs (PPCs). Most notably, the new Smartphone devices will have built-in support for the .NET Compact Framework, which is key to easing application development for these devices. The new platform will also have an enhanced browser and many other networking improvements that should enrich the overall user experience.

Smartphone Platform Now Includes .NET Compact Framework

The new Smartphone software platform will closely map to the features contained in the recently updated PPC Phone Edition (PPC-PE) platform. (See “Updated Software Platform for Pocket PCs” on page 21 of the Aug. 2003 Update.) Although the new Smartphones are considerably different than PPC-PE devices because of their smaller size, lack of a touch screen, and dependency on a numeric keypad for navigating and inputting data, their other capabilities are similar. Devices built using the new platform will include a significantly improved version (6.0) of the Pocket Internet Explorer browser, expanded virtual private network support, support for 14 additional languages, and more efficient data communications over carriers’ wireless WANs.