I started my day by button-holing Martin Read, Testing and Signing Manager at Orange, to find out more about what Orange Compatible means to Symbian developers. I had expected it to be a long session, but it turned out to be very simple. Once an application is Symbian Signed the only additional requirement for Orange Compatible, at least as far as testing goes, is for connected applications. These applications are explicitly tested on the Orange network to ensure that there are no connectivity problems. Once this is done the application is Orange Compatible. If an application has no connectivity, a stand alone game for example, no testing beyond Symbian Signed is required.

Nothing is ever quite that simple however, there is a little more work needed to fulfill the commercial requirements for using the Orange Compatible logo.

Developer creating Java applications have a similarly straightforward route to Orange Compatible, once their application is Java Verified. The reason for this, as Steve reminded me, is that Orange is a Java Verified Platinum Partner.

I asked about Windows Mobile and Steve admitted that there things are not as straightforward. In the Microsoft program signing and testing are not tightly coupled. So an application can be signed without any form of testing and a tested application does not need to be signed. This makes obtaining Orange Compatible for Windows Mobile a more complicated activity, requiring more checks and, depending on the circumstances, detailed testing by Orange.

I then dropped into my first session, "an insight into Symbian from a developer's perspective" session hosted by Symbian. The presentation was given by Adi Rome, a developer consultant at Symbian. Adi provided a basic guide to Symbian OS - including the OS structure - development tools, and the various resources available for developers through Symbian, Nokia and UIQ. It provided a good basic introduction for developers as yet unfamiliar with Symbian development. At the end of the session there was an interesting discussion on different Java VM implementations, particularly the S60 JVM. This particular JVM, at least for the assembled developers, appears to be causing some issues.

Then as quickly as the day had started it was time for lunch, for which a leisurely two hours was provided. Over lunch I spoke to Tommi Holmgren of Flander Oy, a Finnish based test house that works with handset manufacturers, operators and third party developers. Tommi noted that there is still a gap in the tools market for a truly robust testing solution for smartphones. The biggest issue Flander's has is with the early availability of suitable drivers to allow testing to be undertaken while devices are under development.

Following lunch came the Pow Wow. Hosted by Steve Glagow this part of the event took on a Moorish theme, with Steve offering tea to each of the Orange personal who came on stage to do their turn. The speakers included Patrick Rouvillois, Vice President of Propositions and Product Marketing; Herve Payanos, Director of Partnerships and Services, France Telecom; and Martin Duval, Director of Business Development, Partnership and Venture. This session was very much the Orange "sell" and it was a slick, professional affair. Orange clearly understands the challenges of extending the market place for mobile products and services, and that they can not address these challenges without assistance for developer partners. It was however interesting to note that a softly-softly approach appears to be paying off. While many are still questioning whether there is really a demand for products such as mobile TV, Orange is touting practical example of this medium taking off. The advantages of being able to offer consumers a seamless mobile, fixed Web experience was also emphasized as one of the significant advantages of the expanded Orange family.

One interesting comment came from Yves Christol, Head of Device Development and Products, who noted how difficult it had been to find a Linux platform to compliment Orange's relationship with Microsoft and S60. It left the distinct impression that Orange chose to include a Linux platform not necessarily because of its suitability, but simply because it gives them a third player. There is a session tomorrow that may reveal more on this subject, where Access and Orange will be talking about their plans for the ALP platform.

After two hours squatting on the floor for the Pow Wow it was a welcome relief to get back into a chair for the next session. This was an introduction to S60 as a preferred Orange platform. As with the Symbian session, Vesa Jutila, Director of S60 Operator Accounts (Europe) for Nokia and Jouko Kaasila, Head of Product Planning S60 at Symbian Ltd, provided a solid introduction to the platform. The developers who had raise Java at the earlier Symbian session popped up again here, but this time got an acknowledgement from Vesa that there were some issue in this area and a reassurance that Nokia was sorting them out.

The final session of the day was on the Orange Container program. Hosted by Yves Christol this went into more details on how Orange is planning to work with Access, S60, and possibly Microsoft to build Orange Signature devices.

If you are unfamiliar with Signature devices, these are a range of devices that incorporate a common idle screen which enables access to key phone features, such as contacts and messaging. Yves admitted that Orange's early attempts at this common "starter" UI was too overtly guiding the user to add-on content and services. It was the result of customer feedback on this issue that lead Orange to create a more "function" orientated screen used today.

The Orange UI comes in three flavors; generic, simple, and business. Each flavor adds more sophisticated functions to the home screen. Currently around 18% of Orange handsets in use are Signature handsets. The goal is to grow this to 30% by 2008. With around 50% of all new devices being Signature devices, Yves believes this goal can be achieved, if not bettered.

The container program is a way to accelerate the development of Signature devices, which currently take up to 6 months longer to get into Orange channels than vanilla devices. Each preferred platform will have a container (hence the program name) that includes a set of verified Orange applications and UI specifications.

While the approach is laudable, the fact that Microsoft - who provided Orange's first Signature device in the SPV - have not yet signed up to it is interesting. This slow response from Microsoft possibly reinforces why Orange was keen to get a Linux platform into this particular mix.

The first Orange Container specifications are expect to ship to device manufacturers in 2007.

Finally Orange also announced today that it would be launching its own application shop. In line with the new convergent strategy this shop will span both the fixed and mobile worlds. Hosting Orange Compatible applications only, Steve Glagow indicated that it was likely to be run by an established portal supplier who Orange is currently in the process of selecting.

After something of a sedate start (remember that 2 hour lunch) day 2 of Partner Camp promises to be much more intense, with just short of 50 sessions to pack in. More on these tomorrow.

Don't forget to check ou images from Partner Camp on the SymbianOne Flickr blog.