hello...

It has been one heck of a month! The Symbian Foundation has been outlined, and Nokia has bought the core operating environment it has savoured and invested in for many years.I still have unanswered questions, as I am sure many of you have. My challenge is to get Symbian to hold an exclusive webinar for Orange Partner members pretty soon. We'll let you know when it is scheduled for. But for now, we talk about what we know in this month's newsletter below.

At the end of June, Orange pulled out of discussions with Telia Sonera. After many weeks of negotiating, we could not agree to terms that made sense for both parties. In turn though, we have announced a new operation in Niger this past week. Orange continues to add operations in emerging markets.

Steve Glagow
VP, Orange Partner

2 new APIs and a tool to help you...
There has been much activity with Orange APIs in the last month...

We've published a new tool, the API Explorer Tool, which you can use to test SMS, email, location and click-to-call API functionality without needing to actually build your application. You can see if and how your application will work with these APIs, send and receive messages and emails etc., and understand what the methods and functions do, before committing time to development. It's a really useful tool, why not have a try and let us know how you get on...
access the tool >

If you need some inspiration, or just want to see how APIs can be used, take a look at the new mash-up samples we've published. These show what can be achieved using some of the APIs now available.

The recent API breakfast run by the API team in Paris was a "full house" - thanks to all those who came along. We hope you found it helpful. If you weren't able to make it, then do take a look at the website where we've published all the useful information from the event.
see post-event information >

new: location API
Create your very own location based services application on the web. Just launched, the location API enables location (on the Orange France network) of a user's mobile location within your web application.
find out more and access the location API >

new: click-to-call API
Establish a call between two users from a web application.
Just launched, the click-to-call API allows you to establish phone calls between two numbers within your application. Phone calls can be established between any landline, mobile and VoIP terminals in most European countries. The API is not limited to Orange customers, it can be used to connect anybody.
find out more and access the click-to-call API >

back to top

we need your French and Dutch apps
Orange Belgium Application Shop launching soon...

The Orange Belgium Application Shop will be launching soon, and we need your French and Dutch language applications for this new route to market. If you have an application that you think may be suitable, then submit it to us now. If you're unsure whether your application is suitable or not, then send us the details in an email to developers@orange.com with "Belgium_Shop" in the subject line: we'll take a look for you, and let you know directly. If you include your phone number, we'll be able to give you a call to discuss possible opportunities with you.

We are expecting to soft-launch the Application Shop on Belguim WAP in July, with the web version following in the autumn.

The new multilingual Application Shop Developer Portal is now live, so you can upload your French and Dutch applications directly to the portal, once they have been accepted for inclusion in the Shop. And remember, you can now bulk up-load multiple applications and associated builds in one simple step, making the process even easier.

The UK Application Shop continues to grow. The most popular application is currently Pullface – a fun app that allows users to creatively alter images on their phone, with hilarious results. If you have applications that might be suitable for the UK Application Shop, then submit them to us now.

premium members and contracted partners, submit your application to Orange Partner >

back to top

get talking
join the debate on the Orange Partner forums...

Orange Partner online forums are a great place both to share with your peers, and to get expert advice direct from Orange.

The forums are grouped into three main areas: Orange-specific forums, initiatives and standards, and languages/OS. Each area has several individual subjects, all moderated by experts from different teams across Orange France Telecom. So you can quickly get answers, direct from those who know.

Anyone can view the forums; to post on a forum, you'll need to be a member of Orange Partner, and log in.

If you're interested in a particular forum subject, you can subscribe to email alerts and receive an update each time someone posts in the forum. To do this, go to your member profile in 'my account' and update the 'forum notification' area, ticking to receive alerts for the appropriate forum.

take a look at the forums, and get talking >

back to top

Symbian Foundation
a unified software platform

You will no doubt be aware of the recent news regarding the creation of the Symbian Foundation: Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Motorola and NTT DOCOMO will be uniting Symbian OS, S60, UIQ and MOAP(S) to create one open mobile software platform for converged mobile devices.

Expected to launch in the first half of 2009, the Foundation will provide a unified platform, with common UI framework, which will then be enhanced by integrating contributions from Foundation members, through open collaboration. The platform will be moving to open source during the next two years.

The Symbian Foundation platform will be free and open to develop from the start, and you will not need to be a member of the foundation to develop on the platform.

Support from the industry has been widespread, with many expressing their hope that this will encourage and enable developers, remove barriers to innovation, and improve the mobile user experience.

Olaf Swantee, Head of Orange's Global Mobile Operations, has commented on what a positive development this is for the open source community. He praised the Foundation's goals of a unified approach: "Orange has always been a supported of defragmentation and the Symbian Foundation will bring us one step closer".

This is great news for Orange Partner members, and we'll hope to bring you more news soon (and even perhaps a webinar!)

find out more about the Symbian Foundation on their website >

back to top

Symbian: celebrating 10 years of innovation
Happy Birthday to Symbian!

In ten years Symbian has evolved from an embedded OS to the number one open OS in the rapidly expanding mobile phone market. Ten years of innovation and commercial success in driving the evolution of the smartphone and creating an open OS for mass-market use. From high-end to high-volume market, Symbian OS™ is the proven platform for a broad range of users and form factors.

Developers have been core to making this happen. Your code has helped bring Symbian OS to more than 200 million users around the world. A true open OS instils innovation - this has been core to Symbian's success.

To help celebrate their tenth birthday, Sybmian would like to hear your story. If you've had anything to do with smartphones, or programming, designing or developing for mobile, you've probably got a story to tell.

submit your Symbian story now direct to Symbian >

back to top

4 new device specs

We've put together key details from the latest 4 device specifications featured on the Orange Partner site.

Orange Partner members can access the full specs by clicking on the relevant links below.

Sony Ericsson T280i
Operating System: Sony Ericsson proprietary OS
Browser: WAP, xHTML
Screen Display: 65k colours; resolution: 120 x 160 pixels, 1.7 inches
Network Data Support: GPRS (class 10)
Extra features include: 1.3 MP camera

Take a look at the full spec >

Sony Ericsson W350i
Operating System: Sony Ericsson proprietary OS
Browser: WAP 2.0, xHTML, HTML (NetFront), RSS reader
Screen Display: TFT 256k colours; resolution: 176 x 220 pixels, 1.9 inches
Network Data Support: GPRS (class 10), EDGE (class 10)
Extra features include: 1.3 MP camera

Take a look at the full spec >

Samsung U900
Operating System: Samsung proprietary OS
Browser: WAP 2.0, xHTML, HTML (NetFront), RSS feeds
Screen Display: FT 16M colours; resolution: 240 x 320 pixels, 2.2 inches
Network Data Support: GPRS, EDGE, 3G
Extra features include: 5MP, 2592x1944 camera with autofocus and image stabiliser

Take a look at the full spec >

SPV E610
Operating System: Windows Mobile
Browser: WAP, HTML
Screen Display: 65k colours; resolution: 240 x 320 pixels, 2.5 inches
Network Data Support: GPRS
Extra features include: 2 MP camera

Take a look at the full spec >

back to top

Orange and the iPhone
Orange and Apple to bring the iPhone 3G to Austria, France, Portugal and Switzerland from July 11.

Taking advantage of the widespread Orange 3G networks, the iPhone 3G will be available in Austria, Portugal and Switzerland on July 11, and in France on July 17.

Customers will be able to fully enjoy the mobile Internet almost wherever they go, thanks to the combination of EDGE, Wi-Fi, 3G and HSDPA networks.

read the full press release >

Orange will be launching the new 3G iPhone in France on 17 July 2008

In addition to the wealth of features available on the original iPhone, the 3G version adds 3G/3G+ technology, which with Orange covers over 66% of the French population today.

Outside 3G coverage areas, mobile broadband is available via EDGE and Orange WiFi, with the iPhone switching networks automatically.

3G iPhone customers get advanced GPS capabilities, combining geolocation technology with the Multi-Touch interface, for trouble-free pathfinding.

The 3G iPhone also offers advanced email handling, with Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync, a key enterprise function bringing over-the-air synchronization, push mode (for contacts, calendar and email) and remote content deletion.

read the full press release >

back to top

articles to get you thinking...
download the reports from Orange

We've pulled out a couple of articles and views we thought might be of interest to you, and get you thinking. They've been produced by our research team within France Telecom.

The first article is available to all members, and the second, we've reserved just for our premium members and contracted partners...

home networks in the spotlight
The spread of home networks is a consequence of the mass influx of broadband to European homes and the growing number of interconnectable devices developed by manufacturers. Add Internet giants that are always prompt in placing their services and the home network still looks to be a relatively virgin territory where players are hoping to obtain a dominant position thanks to their natural assets.

From remote access to storage, media centres and home automation, we take a look at home networks possibilities.

members, download the full pdf report >

e-wellness: a new territory for operators
On Saturday morning, Nicholas, carrying an electrocardiogram connected to his mobile, has just completed his fourth lap of the park. He bumps into Claire doing some stretches, armed with a pedometer that communicates with her MP3 player. Stretched out next to her in the grass, Peter receives an SMS on his mobile phone giving him advice on gradually giving up smoking.

What do these three people have in common? They're all users of e-wellness services. So which market does this term describe and where can operators, and developers, fit into it?

Find out more, and get inspired to enter this growing market...

premium members and contracted partners, download the full pdf report >

What's our activity in this sector? Regular readers of this newsletter will remember that we mentioned "la collection" in May: France Telecom's quarterly focus on newly-launched products and services developed for the consumer and business markets. Most of these involve 3rd parties, directly or indirectly.

The Spring Collection featured several products for the healthcare market – take another look at the Spring Collection, and find out more >

back to top

meet us

The Orange Partner team will be at several industry events in the coming months.

If you are there, please do be sure to come and talk to us on our stand, and don't miss Steve Glagow, VP Orange Partner, who will be speaking on several occasions...

Below is an overview; you'll be able to find out more by clicking through to our website.

Linux World
4-7 August, 2008
San Francisco
find out more >

CTIA Wireless IT and Entertainment
10-12 September, 2008
San Francisco
find out more >

Open Source in Mobile World
10-12 September, 2008
Berlin
find out more >

back to top