Following the international release of its Symbian Anna mobile operating system (OS) software update, Nokia has announced its forthcoming Anna follow-up, Symbian Belle (video posted below).

Symbian Belle is a much more significant update than Symbian Anna was, as it introduces plenty of new functionality. Users now have access to six home-screens, as opposed to the five that they could load apps on previously, for example on the Symbian Anna-running Nokia E6. Free-form resizable live widgets have also been introduced and widgets and app shortcuts can now be placed freely anywhere on the display, and not just into pre-configured cookie cutter outlines as with Symbian^3 and Symbian Anna.  

As with Apple’s forthcoming iOS 5 release, Nokia has also integrated an Android-like pull down status bar, providing users with quicker and easier access to their notifications. The navigation and options bar at the bottom of the home-screen has also been improved and now sports a  new look, very similar to the first home-screen of the Nokia N9. A new informative lock screen will enable users to view notifications such as missed calls and received SMSes, while users can  now also personalise their phone’s lock screen with a coloured wallpaper.

Near field communications (NFC) abilities are enhanced with tap to pair and share functionality, allowing Nokia users to tap the back of their mobiles to each other in order to easily pair their devices and send a photo for example. 

In related news Nokia also recently unveiled the Nokia 500 and Nokia SA revealed that the MeeGo-operating N9 will be getting its passport stamped in South Africa.