Nokia removed developer fees associated with the Symbian Signed application certification program--according to the handset maker's Forum Nokia global developer unit, Ovi Store developers must no longer purchase a publisher ID or pay a third party to get their Qt, Symbian C++ and Flash Lite apps approved. Forum Nokia notes that in addition to slashing developer costs from as much as $215 to nothing, the move also trims approval time from four weeks to two. "This greatly simplifies the publishing process by making it a one-stop process for publishers," said Forum Nokia VP Purnima Kochikar on the Forum Nokia Blog.
Developers who choose to participate must first review and accept the Ovi Store's new terms and conditions--from there, the developer provides IMEI numbers for up to five devices to publisher support. Ovi Publish replies with publisher UIDs, a cert installer, and developer cert/key pair for app testing--once the app is submitted (complete with unsigned SIS file with the UID provided), the software is tested based on Nokia content and store guidelines, operator restrictions and Symbian Signed test criteria. If the app passes, Nokia will express sign it and publish it into the Ovi Store.
For more on the new Ovi signing process:
- read this Forum Nokia blog entry
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