Symbian released its web application development tools, making application development on the platform “as easy as creating a webpage.” In other words, any web developer with a knowledge of HTML, CSS and some JavaScript can create mobile apps that run on Symbian smartphones, including the newly unveiled Nokia N8.
The good thing about these tools is that they allow accessing even some of the phone’s deep device capabilities — including contacts, camera, sensors, location, etc. — with JavaScript (there are special APIs for accessing phone-specific features).
Of course, you don’t need Symbian’s tools to make web-based apps, but they argue it’s easier to use what they got because of the features such as mobile-specific application previews, debugging and deployment capabilities.
At the end of the press release, Symbian says all these tools are out of beta, ready to be used by developers no matter which computer they use — Windows, Mac and Linux are all supported.