Qt, a cross-platform application and user interface (UI) development framework is now available under version Qt 5.3. With Qt, developers can easily develop cross-platform applications and reuse code to target all the major desktop, embedded and mobile platforms. Qt 5.3 packs in numerous new features and improvements that enables the simple development of applications and connected devices that run anywhere on any device, on any operating system making the end users’ life easier. To lower the barrier of entry for application development, Digia is also introducing a monthly subscription plan for Qt Enterprise.
Building on the success of Qt 5.2, which has been downloaded more than 1 million times since December 2013, Qt 5.3 brings enhanced quality across all platforms with improved documentation and new coding examples delivering an improved user experience. In addition, the Qt for Windows Runtime port has now reached the supported Beta state further strengthening Qt’s cross-platform story of defragmenting multi-platform mobile development. Qt for WinRT allows Qt developers to reach a portfolio of millions of devices including Windows 8 PCs and tablets, applications using the Modern UI, also for WinRT tablets on ARM chips such as the Microsoft Surface and Windows Phone devices.
Qt 5.3 boasts several improvements on desktop application development easing the migration path for existing users to Qt 5. The introduction of QQuickWidget, which is designed to simplify the migration of larger Qt Widget-based applications to Qt 5, allows for hybrid development with both C++ Qt Widgets and Qt Quick UI technology, in one application. This enables designers and developers to save time using the best of both UI technologies together without sacrificing any of the benefits. The Qt Quick Controls have also received new updates which include calendar control, native dialogs and styling for the menu bar as well as several new Qt Quick Enterprise controls for industrial applications
On the API side, the new Qt Positioning API provides GPS support for both Android and iOS, while the Qt Bluetooth API now also provides direct support for Android. Qt Enterprise mobile application customers will also benefit from the new Qt Purchasing API that provides a simple-to-use, cross-platform Qt API for in-app purchasing from Android Google Play and iOS App Store. In the future, this will be extended to WinRT (Windows Store / Windows Phone Store) and desktop marketplaces such as the Mac OS X store.
Qt 5.3 has also announced a new Qt WebSockets API and new Managed WebSockets backend service in the Qt Cloud Services portfolio that enables cloud-connected applications and devices to communicate bi-directionally in real-time. In addition, the Managed WebSockets solution enables any number of client-server communications so that one-to-many communication channels, including chat and notifications, can be implemented.
Qt 5.3 also gave a first look at a new professional build tool under the Qt Enterprise offering, Qt Quick Compiler, which allows you to compile QML files into the application. The compiler ensures IP protection of the the QML source and improves load time and performance by pre-parsing the QML files. With compiled Qt Quick, application start up is up to 90% faster than before. Qt Quick Compiler delivers run-time performance improvements on platforms such as iOS.
Qt Enterprise 5.3 also introduced primary support from Digia for QNX Neutrino 6.6 with pre-built Qt Enterprise binaries that enable intuitive and attractive UIs for the QNX Car Automotive platforms and also the healthcare, industrial automation, and in-flight entertainment industries.
