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After DCT3 we have seen DCT4 (non Symbian) and WD2 (Symbian). They were much modern and had new solutions. We will say about few of them:
- 7 bars in battery and networks indicators
- new simlock system
- new IMEI changing protections (it's burned in hardware UEM chip, not written in EEPROM with other phone settings like earlier)
- encrypted firmware (both MCU and PPM)
- some settings were saved in PM memory (it's similar to old EEPROM and PMM) in flash
- new modes for testing and changing some settings (phones need them to accept some FBUS commands, after enabling them "Local mode" or "Test mode" is displayed on device display)
- ability to log (network, charging, firmware) parameters changes and reading them during service repair (they can be send to Nokia central database)
- displaying firmware version without SIM card
- better char counter in SMS editor (it displays chars left in sms/number of used sms)
- totally changed many FBUS commands
- GPRS
- Wallet
and others. Service software for it had very interesting and saying many things name "Phoenix". The small revolution was visible in flash files too - they had various commands inside and didn't require specifying flashing addresses.
DCT4 phones were simply extended 7110/6210/6250 family (had for example improved extended phonebook, SMS memory, good calendar). Many things were/are resolved much better, but there were visible many issues on start of this generation too - the most visible were problems with GPRS and connected with this instabilibility (especially known in first firmware versions for 8310/6610/7210).
Nokia decided to leave some Smart Messaging 3.0 features (like downloadable profiles) since this moment, there weren't still EMS pictures and ringtones implemented.
Next business phone after 6210 was 6310. Really big success was reached by next model from this line (6310i) - combination of polymer battery, clear monochromatic screen, good keyboard, Java, Bluetooth was shoot into 10 and even now many people good speak about this model and use it. Some solutions (like filesystem or tri-band module for GSM900/1800/1900) were used in later DCT4. It didn't have FM radio like 8310, but it wasn't very important for users.
6310/6310i had a little better protected battery against disconnecting in form of plastic strip put in phone cover. It was filling space between phone and battery (Nokia even added it to many 6210 during repairs in services). There were sometimes problems with flashing (first) Nokia 6310i in services - many phones had to be sent to central services, because were dead after flashing with Nokia tools.
Somewhere then (April 2002) MyGnokii was finally end and we have seen Gammu (under first name MyGnokii2). It was first OpenSource software for managing both "old"/"new" DCT3 and DCT4 phones (real support for this last generation was started somewhere in July 2002).
In this time Josip M said to world, that Nokia will start hiding netmonitor from ordinary users.
Few words about DCT4 netmonitor were spoken - tests are sorted in groups, it's easier to change values in tests (BTS test and similiar). According to this source netmonitor won't be available in MCU files put in services to phones.
The same man found, that Symbian phones will have special application put in ROM (Z: drive). He extracted such "Field test" application from 3650 prototype. After some changes it worked almost 100% good in 6600 and some 7650 from C: drive. It didn't work with "normal" 3650.
In May 2002 Sony Ericsson released firmware upgrade from T68/T68m to T68i (available for free in services). It made this phone first SE phone with MMS...and it was probably first world device with MMS (at least it was available for users similiary with 7650). It had GPRS, Bluetooth, 12 games (in last firmware R8 available without hidding) and other nice features too.
When we speak about GPRS, let's reming GPRS Online issue. In some moment Nokia decided, that each time, when you leave WAP browser menu or end data call, phone will disconnect from GPRS. Now imagine, that your operator take money for each started 100kb data and you enter WAP and download each time 9kb. Without GPRS active after leaving WAP you will have to pay for 9 x 100kb, with it only for one 100kb. World had seen this somewhere in August 2002.
There was also another interesting issue - in first DCT4 after incorrect connecting to GPRS (because of wrong settings in phone menu) you wasn't able to send USSD code.
Michal Čihař started to support Gammu somewhere in October 2002, first donation for it was made in December 2002 by Tomasz Motylewski. A little bit later there was started EMS implementing.
Some first "unofficial" flashing solutions for DCT4 were available almost from its' start. Let's remind for example China flashers, LP2002 and similiar. They didn't give ability for example for changing IMEI or had problems with flashing Bluetooth.
Software for removing simlocks for some DCT4 models was videly available somewhere in time of Nokia 6310i 4.80 and it was possible to use it after connecting phone to PC using normal cable (later solutions were implemented in flashers only).
There was created extension of 5510 idea - model 3300. It had (as the only one DCT4) MMC cards reader.
DCT4 was nice, but some people decided to stay with DCT3 devices, because in new generation it wasn't possible to activate netmonitor or patch firmware. People started to modify ready firmware and create versions with fading screen/keyboard lights (in Nokia firmwares it was available for DCT4 only), own games, menus, ringtones, pictures and other. We have seen such projects and tools like MADos, NokiX or G3n0lite. People started even to make sets of own modifications. Probably the most popular flasher became Knok released under GNU GPL license (somewhere in Net there is even now possible to find its' source).
Later we have seen era of colour screens DCT4 devices (thanks to donors support for them was started in Gammu somewhere in April/May 2003). They were critized many times, because had passive displays with fading effect and short standby time. Nokia finally resigned from external batteries, "normal" games (they were replaced by Java applications), added CIF/VGA cameras, polyphonic ringtones and full OBEX. We heard about CP flash files with filesystem content (Java games, Gallery, etc.).
Mike Bradley (author of Logo Manager) prepared MobiMB, Oxygen Software started to write Oxygen Phone Manager II for managing DCT3 and DCT4 phones.
In some moment we had started to see PopPort connector instead of bottom connector used from model 6110 (DCT3 !) time. Nokia started to sell cables for connecting phones with PopPort with PC using USB - first there were DKU5 cables with own USB converter inside, later DKU2 and DCA-51, which were only simple voltage converters (new DCT4 phones had USB converters inside).
Faster datacalls (than using GPRS or HSCSD) in "normal" GSM networks were provided by EDGE (download up to 118,4 kbps). First phone with it was Nokia 3200 announced in September 2003.
For (datacalls in) UMTS Nokia prepared model 6650. It is known from one thing too - is probably the only one phone since DCT3 (excluding Communicator line) with external antenna.
There were small updates prepared by Nokia in higher firmware versions for some phones - for example in Nokia 6100 there was added "Go to" menu in 5.16 version.
All WD2 and starting from some time all DCT4 didn't have functions for call costs in firmware and didn't work with SimPlus. It finally made, that Polish operator had to change platform for this prepaid service (in 2005). In many DCT4 Nokia decided to resign from "Pending" delivery reports for SMS too.
DCT4 flashers were more and more complex. In some moment we had seen first solutions for changing IMEI (by reprogramming empty UEM chips and putting them into phones instead of original), there was also cracked simlock protection system. The most famous name Griffin is connected with device started somewhere in this time. It was like many other devices later updated and able to flash DCT3 and DCT-L phones too.
Flashers market became very big - for example each calculating UEM chip content (calculating RPL from ASK files) is done on flasher team server and cost, access to phone flashes cost, etc. In some moment there was given possibility (for money) of some phone updates - for example from Nokia 7250 to 7250i.
Nokia extended cheap phones line too. First was Nokia 3510 with:
- screen even better than in 6310i
- first MMS implementation in DCT4 (this was also probably the only one phone model on the world with MMS and mono screen)
It was available in the same time with model 3410 from DCT3 generation, but didn't have Java. Later model 3510i used by many people as next phone after DCT3 device Nokia 3310.
In new cheap models Nokia went into two ways - first were phones with colour screens (like 3100), second with mono displays (1100 and other). Some of them didn't have GPRS or other "current" DCT4 specific features (for example Nokia returned to "old" games instead of Java).
In some moment hackers found way for generating simlock removing codes. They cloned dongles sent to GSM operators (who were able to generate codes for their users). After connecting such piece of hardware to PC users were able to
- enter phone IMEI and network code
- it was sent to dongle
- code was generated and displayed to user.
It was enough to write such code on phone keyboard and it was unlocked. Code didn't work, if somebody tried to unlock earlier phone using incorrect code 5 or more times.
Each dongle had own number. When Nokia found numbers of cloned devices, started to block using generated with them codes in phone firmwares. It was visible first time in 3510i and 7650 (they didn't react for codes created with first cloned dongles). Next trick was using incorrect network code (when device with IMEI starting from specific digit sequences or some phone model was locked to concrete network, it was required to give specific network code for generator). The last one method used by Nokia was assigning new models to one of 10 various types (code for each type used different alghoritms).
It was big market and each new version of dongles was sold by big money. Finally dongles internals were moved into PC software and starting for this moment generators were videly available for free. In some moment there were created even "multi" generators able to create codes for older DCT3 and other phones too.
After some time Nokia services tried to fight with it. In the moment, when users were giving phones with removed simlocks for warranty repair, services were trying to proove, that phones were originally with simlocks, users used "illegal" codes (not described in manual) and because of it made unathourized phone change.
Under pressure of other manufactures Nokia had to start making clamshells too - first was Nokia 7200.
Nokia extended WD2 family with Symbian too. It was designed as expensive/featured phones for "normal" people. And Nokia implemented inside them first time some things - for example
- MMS (Nokia 7650)
- Bluetooth (Nokia 7650)
- camera (Nokia 7650)
- Java 2.0 implementation (Nokia 6600)
All phones were assigned into software platform series - for example DCT4 phones became Series 40 (versions 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0) and WD2 Series 60. Nokia started to publish info about some firmware bugs and changes too (for example in Java implementation).
Symbian devices were critized for slow work, very short standby time, big size...and much worse standard SMS editor than in DCT3/DCT4 (it uses Unicode in SMS without notifying user, when one char is not available in Default SMS Alphabet). Many of these problems weren't eliminated even in current models.
The only one serious program for managing them in Windows became Oxygen Phone Manager II for Symbian OS phones.
Nokia Symbian phones started to use RS-MMC cards instead of MMC. After 6600 Nokia started to cut off infrared in almost all new models, although it was very usefull sometimes (there was proposed PopPort instead).
Nokia tried to make "game" line of devices based on Symbian. First was NGage, where speeches were done similiary like in "funny" Nokia 5510, there wasn't possible to swap easy MMC cards with games and were many other ergonomic problems. Some were eliminated in new model NGage QD, but it wasn't too popular too.
Big manufacturer vision wasn't enough especially, that hackers cracked (easy) games protections and it was possible to play NGage]/NGage QD games on other Symbian devices (starting from November 2003), where at least speeches were done normally. Nokia had to resign from this line in 2005 year.
It was second time, when Symbian phone wasn't popular enough (first time it happened with 3650 with non-standard and non-practical round keyboard).
Although they had problems, Nokia extended Symbian platform and we can speak about few software generations implemented in WD2:
- Series 60 1st edition (Symbian 6.1), in some sites classified as Series 60 0.9 - Nokia 7650
- Series 60 1st edition (Symbian 6.1), in some sites classified as Series 60 1.0 - for example in Nokia 3650, 3660
- Series 60 2nd edition (Symbian 7.0s) with possible MIDP 2.0, in some sites classified as Series 60 2.0 - for example in Nokia 6600
- Series 60 2nd edition Feature Pack 1 (Symbian 7.0s) with possible USB, in some sites classified as Series 60 2.1 - for example in Nokia 7610
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