Silverlight comes to Symbian first

July 6, 2010 | By Surur

Microsoft has delivered their Silverlight runtime for select Nokia handsets running Symbian. Unlike Windows Phone 7 the runtime will enable Silverlight applications such as the Bing app above both inside and outside the browser.

Supported handsets include the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic, Nokia N97 and Nokia N97 Mini and other Series 60 5th edition devices.

While is seems unfortunately that Microsoft could deliver Silverlight for Symbian and not Windows Mobile 6.5, there does seem some synergy emerging for Windows Phone 7, with developers likely able to easily move Silverlight applications from the platform to the other.

The download is available in Nokia’s Ovi store here.

Read more about the runtime at Microsoft’s Silverlight site here.

About Surur

Site Admin and Windows Phone enthusiast, he has been using Windows Mobile devices since before they were called PocketPC’s. He is currently sporting a HTC 7 Trophy.

Tagged nokia, Silverlight, video, windows phone 7

PhillyBusta

This is bullshit Microsoft. Screw you and Windows Phone 7. I want Silverlight on my HD2 and you are completely giving us the finger. Well guess what, I will return the favor and not buy your glitchy crap anymore. Bye MSFT, hello Android.

GP007

Nerd rage at it's best.

VIW

… this move is baffling. They'd rather release Silverlight for a rival obsolete OS but not for their own, also obsolete OS?

MS needs to get their (mobile) priorities straight. Releasing Silverlight for iPhone / Android would make loads more sense….

Jason

Symbian is on the bulk of handsets right now and Windows Mobile 6.x is all but abandoned right now and their new OS will be shipping in a few months with no backwards compatibility.
Rico

Symbian is huge practically everywhere outside the US, especially now that Nokia is moving it downmarket to cheap handsets. i think this is a good move because the Ovi store needs solid apps like this and with Symbian's reach they can reach more people than Windows Mobile, Android, and probably iPhone users combined. Regarding the iPhone specifically, i don't think they could release Silverlight for Safari Mobile.

i also think the lack of Windows Mobile support these days from Microsoft also has to do with the fact that the former Windows Mobile team is working hard to get Windows Phone 7 out on time. There's no point sacrificing people to work on Windows Mobile 6.5 given that.

GP007

You're right, Symbian is still big globally, look at the market numbers posted for it last time, it's been holding steady at 39-40% worldwide and is by far the leader.

http://www.Appatic.com Avatar X

The reason why it was released on Symbian first is because Microsoft had a agreement to release Silverlight since 2008. once it got delayed Nokia demanded that Silverlight got to be released first in order for they to be happy and continue extending relations with Microsoft.

Thing they did as there will be a new Windows Live for nokia and a Office for nokia. The office could just be Silverlight optimized versions of Office Web Apps. but that is not known yet.
John

Im actually somewhat expecting Nokia to adopt WP7 for their smartphones.. i know it sounds nuts, but they have some strong partnerships with Microsoft, their Symbian platform is dying, they dont really have the capability to manage and run a top notch OS on their own and maintain marketshare. That move alone would instantly rocket WP7 into the stratosphere.
http://intensedebate.com/profiles/encoreppc encoreppc

Microsoft is abandoning us one by one, this will give bad a very reputation towards huge numbers of loyal winmo users. kin has dead and windows phone features far left behind than android

I was thinking to leave winmo to android, Im very dissapointed

Jason

A bulleted list of features is not what most consumers are looking for.