Home > Symbian Anna update: 10 things you need to know
Symbian Anna update: 10 things you need to know
By Martin James on August 17,
 2011 at 00:00,

Nokia Symbian^3 users are patiently waiting the arrival of the Symbian Anna update, which brings a host of changes and updates to Nokia's leading Symbian handsets. With the days counting down to Anna's arrival, we thought we'd take a closer look at just what you need to know about the forthcoming OS update. 

Nokia has promised that the Symbian Anna update will be heading out over the air to Nokia Symbian^3 users during August, and given that we're now halfway through August, we're expecting some exciting news about Symbian Anna anytime soon. In the meantime, let's have a look at some key facts surrounding the soon-to-land software update.

Symbian Anna video preview on the Nokia N8, Nokia E7, Nokia C7 and Nokia C6-01

- We've been talking about Symbian Anna for a while now, but the name was only revealed when Symbian Anna was officially unveiled at the end of April. Before that it was known as Symbian PR 2.0.

- Nokia's Symbian^3 users are expecting the arrival of Symbian Anna in the next couple of weeks, but they won't be the first Nokia users to get their hands on the new-look OS. The newly launched Nokia E6 and Nokia X7 both have Anna on board, and have been on sale for a month or so now.

- There are four existing handsets being lined up for the Symbian Anna update: they are the Symbian^3 quartet of the Nokia N8, the Nokia E7, the Nokia C7 and the Nokia C6-01.

- Probably the first thing you'll notice about Symbian Anna is a visual change it brings to on-screen icons. The new rounder icon style has already been labelled as a clear winner by Nokia E6 and Nokia X7 users.

- As touchscreen phones have become more common, Symbian users have increasingly been crying out for a portrait-style on-screen QWERTY keyboard to replace the number pad-style option currently offered by Symbian^3. Symbian Anna addresses this concern, though Nokia E7 users might not notice too much considering that the E Series range-topper has a full hardware keyboard on board anyway.

- Another usability tweak that should make a big difference is Symbian Anna's introduction of a new split-screen text entry feature for filling in text fields on web pages or in apps – allowing you to fill in forms and the like without ever leaving the page you're filling in.

- The new Nokia web browser 7.3 makes a number of interface changes to make browsing the web on your Nokia smartphone easier and more intuitive. However, it's also been confirmed as faster than its predecessor too – making it another feature to really look forward to in Symbian Anna.

- For the most part, Symbian Anna will be bringing the same features to the quartet of Symbian^3 devices across the board. But there are a couple of exceptions. For Nokia C7 users, for example, Symbian Anna will unlock the handset's exciting NFC capabilities.

- And Nokia N8 users can look forward to a dedicated update of their very own, too. Symbian Anna will be delivering 720p/30fps video support to the flagship Nokia cameraphone, giving you more scope than ever for indulging your creative side through photo and video.

- Once it's available, Nokia Symbian^3 users will be able to download Symbian Anna via Ovi Suite on the PC or using the SW Update facility on their handsets. We'll be publishing a full walk-through on exactly how to go about it once the Symbian Anna update is live, so stay tuned to NokNok.tv for the latest developments.

Tags: 30fps Anna C6-01 C7 E7 N8 NFC Nokia C7 Nokia N8 Symbian Anna Symbian PR 2.0 Top 10 Update
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  • APai

    Reminds me of the scene from the movie Shrek: “Are we there yet ?”

  • http://www.facebook.com/Gix10000 Nick Lucas

    the Nokia_N8 twitter announced today that Anna is now available.
    also the update service has been down or overloaded all day, which gives the claim some merit if servers are now struggling to cope in my opinion

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Vaquero-del-Teclado/679074165 Vaquero del Teclado

    Symbian Anna is already out, this morning..
    Check out via NAVIFIRM,

  • Anonymous

    when will the nokia c7 update show up on my ovi suite?? i’m sick and tired of the wait :@

  • Michael

    nokia…Well Done!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Hornyhaggis

    Thank you for Anna. We love it!!

  • Info

    love the upgrade except, why why did they change the font colors of the widgets all to white. Before you had a difference between email account and emails now they are both the same color.

  • Nokia

    my e7 ovi store not working please update soon

  • john

    Anna is sucks……

  • Hornyhaggis

    I know what you mean, regarding the font colours. I went to Ovi Store and changed my theme. I loved the choice I found there and found a theme I liked better than the original.

  • Hornyhaggis

    Why do you think it sucks? What handset are you using and what problems are you having?

  • Avramesh

    nice updates…… but consider my request…
    1. Its drinks more battery
    2. remove qwerty keyboard on vertical face ( need older search pad for contact )
    3. we need older default themes for anna ( not a icon – anna icon is really great )
    4. wifi should be improve
    5. stand by screen need to be improvement

  • Joeymdph

    symbian anna didn’t worked when downloaded via ovi thru wi-fi. have experienced system failures. have to bring it to nokia care for direct download. after the installation, the new system worked with faster response to applications. have to download games and other downloaded applications all over again…thanks

  • Samir_saniya

    Hi, yes Anna update is good in most things, however there is a need to sort out the battery drain issues- battery life dropped down to 12-14 hours max -this with minimum usage.

  • Xanne

    No attention is paid to the music player as it seems to me. Except it has become worse:
    The player seems to react more slowely.
    Have to touch multiple times for starting random playing
    Music of the next song is playimg while looking at the previous cover and still 20s to go.
    Still no adjustable equaliser to reduce the sound level. Especially for Nokia Bluetooth headphones required. (Had to use tunewiki for creating a -9dB level)
    Sound level is reduced (But for me this could be a +)
    No album selection possible (only album + artist). Hence it is impossible to select a CD with various artists.

    Who cares about the new Icons? Most of them are yellow now, Where is my calculator?
    What’s the use of sliding the icon’s if they can’t stop half way?

    The browser looks ok. How to get Google as starting page?

    Let’s hope Belle will be better or do we have to wait for Charlotte or Denise?

  • Arvind Olety

    Anna is Better compare to old version but when will we get Belle update for N8

  • Asvar

    Symbian Anna is cool…
    However after upgrading my C7, Quick office disappeared :-( …
    Why z it so??

  • ed

    problem when you upgrade to ana battery drain so fast. do nokia have an answer on this

  • Mpyw

    Conversation (SMS shown in group) support failed after installed Anna on a C7, also clicking on shortcut from sms icon (the one shown beside the battery bar) also does not show the SMS, nothing happens after clicking the envelope icon.

    Would prefer the old search function for contacts where the page remain with contact list…

  • Promachief

    thats me an nokia done forever now my two c7s both have differing issues

    what is that crap nokia 3 users are waiting for anna

    how many of us even knew there was going to be anna comimg out

    what have we gained nothing at all

    as said no more nokia phones for me

    maybre no phone at all if all keeop doing update

    when i buy a product be it phone computer or tv i dont expcet to have to keep hookingt up to get latest software

    i got a c7 to do a job now only one does it sort of the other not at all i should be able to get nokia done under trades description act

    leave software alone or at least let us decide which ver of sware we want so we can try anna and go back to what it was

  • Guest

    Very happy with anna! Did the update quick and easy with my wifi at home. Are we ever going to get the option scroll through the music via album instead of artist? I have lots of multi-group albums…

  • Rustyknight17

    Yeahhh , I’m having a few issues with Anna on my N8 . The Nokia email client still refuses every few days to download emails , when the N8 boots up , and the home screen starts loading , the screen will go black for about 5 seconds then ‘oads normally ..Anna also seems to habe connection issues and it’s not my provider , once in a while the widgets and the browser won’t connect to anyyhing , though a restartresolves this . Battery life seems down too , I’m a heavy user , but onthe original FW got 9 hours per charge , now it’s down to 7.5 seems like . SEE,ms like because althougj i have 3 battery monitors fluctuate rather muchly . Overall though , must say it’s a good update !