Microsoft and Nokia joined their efforts for developing the new set of tools that will help Nokia application developers to prepare for moving to the Windows Phone platform. The most significant among the announced guidelines is adding the Symbian Qt to the list of platforms supported by the Windows Phone API Mapping Tool.

At present the Windows Phone API Mapping Tool already supports the iOS and Android platforms and performs the function of a translator between Windows Phone and other mobile operating systems. Using it, software developers for Symbian will be able to capture API- requests of their own applications and study equivalent classes, methods and notifications of the events accepted on the new mobile platform from Microsoft.

It should be noted that the offered product can’t be the means of porting and will not substitute the programmer’s work. However, software developers who deal with moving their own applications on the new platform will be able to refer to it regularly as a useful manual. The main libraries of the Qt 4.7 for Symbian (QtCore, QtGui, QtLocation, QtNetwork, QtSensors, QtSql, QtXml, QtWebKit, QML Elements and QML Components) are included in the set.

The specialists from Microsoft and Nokia have prepared a 100-page manual which can be called the practical guidance for mobile application developers for Symbian who are interested in learning the Windows Phone platform. In eight chapters one can find detailed information on the leading principles of writing programs for Windows Phone, C# programming, the application life cycle, porting procedures and other useful information.

Nowadays Symbian can’t be called a dead or neglected platform. The large-scale update released last month can be a good proof of this. However, the Nokia management has already announced about gradual abandonment from the outdated platform in favor of Windows Phone. Moreover, the first Windows smartphone from Nokia will be released this year.