Series 40 (software platform)

Series 40 software platform is the application user interface (UI) software on Nokia's broad range of mid tier mobile devices. It is the world's most widely used mobile device platform and found in hundreds of millions of devices. It provides communication applications such as telephone, messaging, email client with POP3 and IMAP4 capabilities and Web browser; media applications such as camera, video recorder, music/video player and FM radio; and phonebook and other personal information management (PIM) applications such as calendar and tasks.

Series 40 is an embedded software platform that is open for software development via standard or de-facto content and application development technologies. It supports Java MIDlets, i.e. Java MIDP and CLDC technology, which provide location, communication, messaging, media, and graphics capabilities. S40 also supports Flash Lite applications.

The integrated web browser can access most web content through the service provider's XHTML/HTML gateway. The latest version of Series 40, called Series 40 6th Edition, introduced a new browser based on the WebKit open source components WebCore and JavaScriptCore. The new browser delivers support for HTML 4.01, CSS2, JavaScript 1.5, and Ajax.

Support for SyncML synchronization with external services of the address book, calendar and notes is present. However with many S40 phones, these synchronization settings must be sent via an OTA text message.

The first Series 40 devices (introduced in 2002) had only 128x128 pixel large displays. Over the years, the S40 UI has evolved from a low resolution, black-and-white UI to a high resolution color UI with an enhanced graphical look. The third generation of Series 40 that became available in 2005 introduced support for devices with resolutions as high as QVGA (240x320). It is possible to customize the look-and-feel of the UI via comprehensive themes.

Series 40 uses a simpler operating system than the higher end S60 (which is based on the multi-tasking Symbian OS). Because S40 devices do not support true multi-tasking and do not have a native code API for third parties, its user interface may appear to be more responsive and faster than other Nokia platforms.

Examples of Series 40 platform based devices: Nokia 6300 (Series 40 3rd Edition, Feature Pack 2), Nokia 6500 classic (Series 40 5th Edition, Feature Pack 1) and the Nokia 6233.