Voda Gets the iPhone

Vodafone has signed an agreement with Apple to sell the iPhone in 10 of its markets around the globe. Vodafone customers in Australia, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Italy, India, Portugal, New Zealand, South Africa and Turkey will be able to get their hands on the iPhone “later this year” according tor Vodafone.
We just called Vodafone to get more details. Three questions, three two-word answers, all beginnning with 'N'. Not much more to say then, but rest assured, we'll bring you more news on the deal as and when we have it.

Lenovo Mobile Takes It eZi

Chinese handset maker Lenovo Mobile has extended its contract with Zi Corporation for its eZiText predictive text technology for its mobile handset portfolio in China. The extension will allow Lenovo to integrate eZiText onto all of its mobile handsets through 2011.
Zi Corporation has worked with the Lenovo group for almost ten years. In 2005, Lenovo Mobile chose to integrate eZiText onto its first Smartphone handset for the Chinese market, taking advantage of the quick, easy and personalised text input experience it offers users.
Zi Corporation will be supplying Lenovo Mobile with 45 language databases for eZiText, including Chinese, English, French, Russian and Thai, which are the languages most commonly used by its customers.
“The mobile market in China is one of the fastest growing in the world, with more than 500 million mobile phone users in the country,” says Zi President and CEO, Milos Djokovic. “We are pleased with Lenovo Mobile’s continued confidence in eZiText and look forward to supplying the 40 new language databases to assist in their exploration of new overseas markets. Chinese domestic OEMs are really starting to take advantage of our multi-language solutions for text input as well as our complimentary products for handwriting, keyboard and keypad input.”

CTIA: Velocity Announces Arrival with Two Windows Mobile Smartphones

Velocity Mobile, a collaboration between one of the world’s largest notebook computer manufacturers and a team of veteran wireless designers and engineers, has unveiled its first Microsoft Windows Mobile phones, the Velocity 103 and Velocity 111, at CTIA. The company says it aims to shift the way people view and use Smartphones, combining Western design philosophy and Eastern manufacturing efficiencies to bring no-compromise experiences and value to consumers.
“People want more from their mobile phones, but they still point to price, design, and performance as their top priorities when they walk into the store,” says Velocity Mobile  President and Managing Director, David Hayes. “When it comes to building mobile devices that really engage and excite consumers, however, compromise in any of these three crucial areas is a major turn-off. Velocity Mobile was created with the goal to finally eliminate these trade-offs and bring leading-edge Smartphones to the mass consumer market.”
Velocity Mobile is working in collaboration with Inventec Corporation,   one of the world’s top three original design manufacturers (ODMs) for notebook computers with revenues of more than US$8 billion (£4 billion) in 2007. The two companies say they share a vision for mobility that is powerful and innovative yet intuitive and familiar, all at a great value for consumers. The first Velocity Mobile smartphones, the Velocity 103 and Velocity 111, are currently being demonstrated at CTIA Wireless 2008.
“Velocity Mobile is driven by the understanding that people want compelling mobile experiences, not merely applications and functions,” says Kirk Suen, Vice President and General Manager of Inventec’s Mobile Business Unit. “Our new Smartphones will deliver in the areas you would expect such as design and power, but fuse those elements with a simple and intuitive user interface so there are no compromises, making the Windows Mobile experience relevant and accessible to the broadest possible audience.”
The two debut handsets feature Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1, high-resolution screens, 256MB ROM, 128MB RAM and a 2.0 megapixel camera and 0.3 megapixel videoconferencing camera. They are GSM/EDGE 850, 900, 1800 and 1900; and UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA 850, 1900 (1700) and 2100 compatible.
The Velocity 103 will be available in Q2 2008 and the Velocity 111 in Q3 2008, both in unlocked configurations.   

Samsung Commits to Nuance

Samsung Electronics has signed a multi-year agreement with speech and imaging solutions provider Nuance Communications, renewing and expanding Samsung’s commitment to the full range of Nuance Mobile applications.
The global licence agreement includes VSuite, Vocalizer, and VoiceMode speech-based services and interfaces, which have collectively shipped on more than 160 Samsung handset models for  several years. The Nuance products are also shipping on Samsung's top-selling devices, such as the SCH-U340 and SPH-M300, available from Verizon and Sprint. Text-to-speech solutions, enabling capabilities such as text message read-out, are also included in the new Samsung contract.
VSuite is Nuance's ubiquitous voice control solution that enables hands-free, one-step access to mobile device features from a simple push of a button and a voice command. Nuance's speech-to-text solution, VoiceMode, offers users a faster and easier way to input text on mobile devices. Users can enter text in any application by simply pressing a button and dictating words and sentences naturally and continuously.
“Samsung is at the leading edge of innovation and design for mobile devices,” says Michael Thompson, General Manager of the Mobile Search, Communications and Handsets business unit at Nuance. “Nuance and Samsung share a commitment to continually enhance the overall mobile user experience, offering consumers a simple, safe, and convenient way to interact with mobile phones. By expanding its use of Nuance VSuite, Samsung can make it easier than ever for users to control mobile devices and access advanced mobile applications and content.”

iPhone SDK a Hit With Developers

Apple has revealed that more than 100,000 iPhone developers downloaded the beta iPhone Software Development Kit (SDK) in the first four days following its launch on 6 March. The iPhone SDK provides developers with the same set of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and tools that Apple uses to create its native applications for iPhone and iPod touch.
“Developer reaction to the iPhone SDK has been incredible, with more than 100,000 downloads in the first four days,” says Philip Schiller, Apple Senior Vice President of Worldwide Product Marketing. “Also, over 1 million people have watched the launch video on Apple.com, further demonstrating the incredible interest developers have in creating applications for the iPhone.”
Apple also previewed the new App Store, a breakthrough way for developers to wirelessly deliver their applications to every iPhone and iPod touch user. Developers set the price for their applications - including free - and retain 70% of all sales revenues.
Leading developers such as AOL, Electronic Arts, Epocrates, Salesforce.com and Sega have already demonstrated amazing applications using the SDK, says Apple, adding that developer response continues to be phenomenal, with more developers embracing the platform.
“The iPhone SDK gives us the tools we need to create powerful iPhone applications and is an important part of our overall mobile strategy,” says Rick Jensen, Senior Vice President, Small Business Group, at Intuit. “We’re excited that the iPhone expands the ways our customers can solve key financial tasks wherever they might be.”
Wayne B. Yurtin, president and CEO of Rocket Mobile, is enthused by the App Store.
“70% of the retail price is hands-down the best deal out there in mobile,” he says. “It’s simple and motivating for developers. We can’t wait to get our first iPhone applications on the revolutionary App Store.”
And Scott Zerby, Vice President at THQ Wireless says:
“The iPhone is the mobile platform game developers have been dreaming of. We’re looking at how we can use the iPhone’s innovative user interface to create new game experiences for our big brand entertainment partners that consumers love.”
The free beta iPhone SDK is available immediately worldwide and can be downloaded here. The iPhone Developer Program will initially be available in the US and will expand to other countries in the coming months. A QuickTime video of the iPhone roadmap event is available to view here.

mobilePeople Announces iPhone Support

Mobile search company mobilePeople has revealed that its award-winning liquid mobile search platform now supports the iPhone, extending new monetisation opportunities for directory publishers and directory assistance companies. The news follows Apple’s announcement that the majority of mobile Internet usage in the US is conducted on the iPhone and Google’s announcement that it monitors multiple searches from the iPhone, compared to other mobile handsets.
mobilePeople provides a user interface that’s optimised for the iPhone’s Safari browser to search Yellow Pages, White Pages and other content published using the liquid platform. Functionality includes a click-to-call option; the facility to get directions to a desired address; to save any business search to contacts; to send results to a friend; and to see results on a map.
The mapping experience on the iPhone Safari browser is superior to other browser-based map solutions, says mobilePeople’s since liquid allows the user to interact with the map. Raster maps, in combination with layering technology, allow for user touch interaction.
The local search experience on the iPhone is now fast and cheap. The search itself requires less data traffic, which means lower costs for the user. Thanks to JAX technology, which exchanges small packets of data with the server, it is no longer necessary to reload entire mobile pages at all times. 
“The fact that so many US mobile users are using their iPhones to surf the web is a wake-up call to directory publishers who haven’t yet got to grips with the handset’s monetisation opportunities,” says mobilePeople CEO and Co-founder, Jens Andersen. “With liquid now available on the iPhone, this is too good an opportunity to miss. The web is an integral part of the iPhone experience; mobilePeople is committed to ensuring that great local search functionality is a part of that iPhone experience.”
mobilePeople says it is also set to introduce a client-based mobile local search solution for the iPhone based on Apple’s recently-announced iPhone SDK. The company notes that its mobile search solution has the largest footprint across all handsets, platforms and operating systems. liquid is platform-agnostic and supported on Java, Symbian, Windows Mobile, Blackberry, iPhone, imode, mobile carrier-specific markup languages, and Brew. In addition, liquid runs on the majority of the most popular makes of handset.

3 Welcomes Back Motorola

Mobile network 3  is to offer Motorola handsets as part of its range for the first time in over 18 months with the introduction of the RAZR2 V9. The move adds another major brand to 3’s portfolio and is being backed by an extensive store staff training programme. 17 ‘MOTOAGENTS’ will tour the entire 3Store base throughout March and April to help reintroduce the Motorola brand to 3 staff and customers.
“Motorola’s renewed focus on powerful 3G handsets like the RAZR2 V9 means we can welcome them back into 3’s growing portfolio,” says 3 Director of Products, Fergal Walker 
The RAZR2 V9 is available from 3Stores and Three.co.uk from this Thursday, 13 March. Slimmer, stronger and faster than its predecessors, the HSDPA handset features a stainless steel case, chemically-hardened glass and a touch-sensitive screen. It also incorporates a high-speed processor that Motorola says will enable the V9 to respond 10 times as fast as the original V3.
“Motorola is delighted to be working with 3 on the launch of the Motorola RAZR2 V9 across the UK,” says Jim Michel, General Manager, UK & Ireland for Motorola. “The rich capabilities of the RAZR2 V9 are a perfect match for the advanced services and experiences available through the 3 mobile network. Together, we have great expectations for how the product will perform in retail and are looking forward to building a portfolio of Motorola products available on 3 in the future.”   

Blackberry Users get SpinVox

Voice-to-screen messaging company SpinVox has made its SpinVox for BlackBerry plug-in available on the SpinVox website.
Adding SpinVox to BlackBerry brings the advantages of email delivery and configuration to voicemail, the company says, improving the experience for mobile, email-dependent BlackBerry users. With SpinVox for BlackBerry, Blackberry users can now receive all their voicemail messages converted to text and delivered as an email direct to their device, allowing them to see who called and what they said, and then reply with just one click. SpinVox converts any caller’s voicemail into text, powered by the SpinVox Voice Message Conversion System (VMCS).   
Importantly, SpinVox for BlackBerry ensures that the inbound caller’s number links up with the user’s address book to present the caller’s name, and the ability to reply directly by email, as an alternative to calling or sending an SMS.
“BlackBerry email delivers business efficiency and personal productivity,” says SpinVox CEO and Co-founder Christina Domecq. “Adding SpinVox to the mix takes those benefits to the next level, eliminating the need to dial-in and check voicemail and making it simple and easy to check voice messages in the email format that BlackBerry addicts love.”
SpinVox notes that the launch comes after RIM executives trialled the SpinVox Voicemail product on their own BlackBerry phones and saw the benefits of having their voice messages converted to email.
New SpinVox Voicemail customers who choose to download the software application will be charged £5 per year.   

Toshiba Closes In on UK Network Deal

Consumer electronics company Toshiba says it is close to securing a deal with a UK network operator to make one or more of its latest handsets, unveiled at MWC last week, available to contract customers.
Though not well known as a mobile handset maker, Toshiba has been making handsets for the past six years, and selling them in the UK, France, Germany, Spain and Italy for the past 18 months, to pay-monthly customers. But according to Med Jeeworth, UK Country Manager for Toshiba’s Mobile Communications Division, a UK network deal is in the offing.
“We are in contract negotiations with a major UK mobile operator, and they are going well, but discussions with mobile operators take time, especially when you are a new supplier,” Medworth told Mobile Marketing. 
If the deal is secured, it would be Toshiba’s second European network deal. The G901 is available to French contract customers via France Telecom.
Three Windows Mobile devices, the Portege G710, Portege G910 and the G450, launch at the end of March. The Blackberry-like G710 will sell for £180 without contract. The clamshell G910 will sell for £380, and the G450, for £150.
The dinky G450 (pictured) is the most interesting of the three devices. Measuring up at just 98 x 36 x 16mm and weighing in at 57g, it’s an HSDPA USB modem which doubles up as a mobile phone. It also has a built-in MP3 player and can also function as a 160MB memory stick for storage.
A fourth device, the touch-screen Portege G810, launches in July.

Volas Makes a Smart Move

Volas Entertainment, which provides mobile video solutions and value added managed services, has announced the introduction of SmartPDA Central, a white-label mobile content portal that offers premium mobile content and "useful" mobile Internet sites, straight to a user's Windows Mobile, Symbian, Blackberry, Palm or any other Smartphone or PDA device. Volas says the portal is ready to be deployed to wireless operators and service providers, and that it will oversee all technical and operational aspects of its management and content aggregation.
Smartphones and PDAs are growing in popularity, the company notes. In 2007 alone, over 100 million Smartphones and wireless PDAs were sold. It points out, however, that until now, not every operator offered their users the ability to access premium mobile content from these devices. With no way to consume this content directly over the operator’s network, Smartphone and PDA users have had to gain access through manually synchronizing with a web-connected PC, thus excluding the operator from the value chain.
SmartPDA Central is designed to address this problem. Delivered directly to any Smartphone or PDA via a mobile Internet connection, SmartPDA Central builds on a wide catalogue of already-aggregated content. The content portal includes useful mobile sites and links, applications, games, themes, videos, wallpaper and more, allowing the operator to expand customer relationships, increase loyalty and user satisfaction. The portal builds on an operator's unique brand, says Volas, and fully integrates with its legacy systems, including billing and subscriber management, while offering ‘anywhere, anytime’ business and entertainment content that is specifically designed for mobile users' needs.
“Mobile content is becoming part of daily life for consumers across the world, and SmartPDA Central is the only solution on the market today which enables the cellular operator to provide unique content directly to the millions of Smartphone and PDA users,” says Volas CEO and Founder, Doron Cohen. “SmartPDA Central will significantly enrich the service catalogue of operators and become a key differentiating factor in their content offering.”

Microsoft Exchange Push Email for the iPhone

Synchronica, the mobile synchronisation and device management company, says that UK iPhone owners can turn their new handset into a business phone by adding a secure corporate email service free of charge, with just a few clicks.
Synchronica says it is the only vendor offering a live solution allowing iPhones owners to receive push email from Microsoft Exchange accounts, without requiring additional software to be installed on the iPhone, or behind the corporate firewall. Synchronica is offering a free 60-day trial if its Mobile Gateway solution for UK iPhone users, following a successful trial which has been running in the US since August. More than 10,000 US iPhone users have already signed up for the Mobile Gateway trial and, says Synchronica, have seamlessly incorporated their new handsets into their business life, using mobile email.
Synchronica says that Mobile Gateway, which provides a link between the iPhone’s built-in email client and Microsoft Exchange, is the perfect complement to iTunes for ensuring fast, secure synchronisation of all business data. While iTunes synchronises calendar and contacts with Microsoft Outlook, Mobile Gateway keeps iPhone connected to corporate email when the user has left the office. It provides tight integration between the iPhone and Microsoft Exchange, and automatically delivers emails to the built-in email client of the iPhone, including support for folders and attachments. Emails sent from the iPhone via Mobile Gateway automatically appear in the ‘Sent Items’ folder of the user’s Exchange account as if they had been sent from the user’s PC.
To take up the trial, iPhone users need should head for the Synchronica website and register their iPhone with Synchronica’s Mobile Gateway. At the end of the 60-day trial period, users will be migrated to a commercially-supported service.
“I know that those who have finally got their hands on the iPhone in the UK are going to love their new handset just as much I love mine,” says Synchronica CEO, Carsten Brinkschulte. “The iPhone is an iconic device with an exceptional user experience, and probably the first to deliver the complete web experience on a mobile device. Mobile Gateway closes the main gap in its functionality by connecting the iPhone to corporate Exchange mailboxes. Another reason to leave that Blackberry in the drawer.”

Geodesic Launches Mundu IM for the iPhone

Geodesic Information Systems has announced the launch of 'Mundu IM – iPhone Edition', a version of its Mundu Instant Messaging client specifically designed and optimised to work with the Apple Safari web browser on the iPhone. Mundu IM has been completely customised for the iPhone and, the company says, is the only IM application that provides users with the unique look and feel that they have come to expect from native iPhone applications.
The application offers iPhone users access to seamless chat across leading IM services MSN, Yahoo, Google Talk and AIM. Apart from simultaneous login to multiple IM services and managing online presence with custom status messages, Mundu IM has innovative features like search and remove buddies, send smilies and quick texts, as well as the ability to remember usernames and passwords.
Research conducted by Capgemini predicts that instant messaging will soon overtake text messaging as a form of communication. It forecasts that 32% of UK mobile customers using an IM service by 2012, sending as many as 15-18 messages per day.
“We optimized Mundu IM for the iPhone and other next generation mobile devices,” says Arvinder Gujral, Director, Product Marketing at Geodesic. “We are excited to provide this invaluable service to O2 iPhone customers so that they won’t miss a single beat when communicating with friends and colleagues on the iPhone, whether it’s talking or instant messaging. Apple has a firm user-friendly ethos and the simplicity of Mundu IM makes it an ideal application for iPhone users.”
Mundu IM – iPhone Edition adds to the Mundu IM suite of mobile products, including the recently-announced Mundu IM version 4.0, which is compatible with Palm, Windows Mobile Smartphone and Pocket PC, and Sony-Ericsson devices.
Users can access Mundu IM on their iPhone browsers at http://iphone.mundu.com

Books for the iPhone

Publisher HarperCollins has created a web application that gives readers the chance to browse book extracts on iPhone and iPod Touch. The application is available immediately to iPhone and iPod Touch users via Safari browser at http://mobile.harpercollins.co.uk or via Apple’s new web apps site.   
HarperCollins says it is the only UK publisher to currently offer such a feature to customers.
iPhone and iPod Touch users visiting the mobile site can preview the content of a selection of high-profile HarperCollins titles using ‘Browse Inside’ technology, which digitally replicates the experience of browsing a book. They are also able to listen to audio clips – either extracts from the accompanying audio books or excerpts from interviews with the authors themselves.
There are 15 titles available initially, including ‘Lewis Hamilton: My Story’ by Lewis Hamilton; ‘Gordon Ramsay’s Playing With Fire’ by Gordon Ramsay; ‘Darkmans’ by Nicola Barker; and ‘The Witch of Portobello’ by Paulo Coelho.
“As the leading publisher in the digital arena, we’re very excited to be involved with the launch of this innovative product,” says HarperCollins UK CEO, Victoria Barnsley. “With its large screen and tactile nature, I believe (the iPhone) could be the breakthrough device for consuming digital product on the go and brings us closer to the ultimate e-book dream.”
The development of a web application for iPhone and iPod Touch users marks the latest advancement in HarperCollins’ digital efforts, and, the company says, emphasises its commitment to reach consumers by providing tools and content for a variety of platforms.

O2 Gears Up for iPhone Launch

The iPhone goes on sale in the UK this Friday, 9 November at the very precise time of 6:02pm (O2 - geddit?) at Apple, O2 and Carphone Warehouse retail and online stores.
O2 is clearly expecting brisk demand for the device. The network operator says it is boosting its UK workforce by 1,427 people as a direct result of the iPhone launching in the UK. 700 new jobs will be added to customer services, while another 727 people are being recruited for O2’s retail stores to ensure the best possible customer experience for new iPhone customers.
“The iPhone is a revolutionary device and we need to ensure a fantastic overall experience for customers using it,” says O2 UK Sales Director, Mark Stansfeld. “So we are investing in training and increasing our workforce to ensure this good experience from the moment you purchase the iPhone through to activation and ongoing support.”
Each O2 retail store will have live demonstration devices and a dedicated iPhone specialist to guide customers through the device’s features. They will be able to advise customers on everything from setting up personal email through to downloading songs via the iTunes wi-fi music store. All other staff are also receiving iPhone training.
A dedicated iPhone customer services unit will be created in O2’s Glasgow call centre with 1,000 agents. As a result, new jobs are being created in Glasgow, and in O2’s other call centres in Leeds, Cardiff and Dearne Valley. In total, 700 new jobs will be created in customer services, with the rest of the roles going to existing employees.
O2 says the additional jobs are designed to ensure that it is well equipped to handle expected significant demand for the iPhone, while at the same time catering for overall customer needs during the busy seasonal period.

Google (and Friends) Unveil the Android Platform

A broad alliance of leading technology and wireless companies has today joined forces to announce the development of Android, which it says is the first truly open and comprehensive platform for mobile devices. Google,  T-Mobile, HTC,  Qualcomm,  Motorola and others have collaborated on the development of Android through the Open Handset Alliance, a multinational alliance of technology and mobile industry leaders.
The alliance shares a common goal of fostering innovation on mobile devices and giving consumers a far better user experience than much of what is available on today's mobile platforms, the group says. By providing developers a new level of openness that enables them to work more collaboratively, Android will accelerate the pace at which new and compelling mobile services are made available to consumers.
With nearly 3 billion users worldwide, the mobile phone has become the most personal and ubiquitous communications device. However, the lack of a collaborative effort has made it a challenge for developers, wireless operators and handset manufacturers to respond as quickly as possible to the ever-changing needs of savvy mobile consumers. Through Android, developers, wireless operators and handset manufacturers will be better positioned to bring to market innovative new products faster and at a much lower cost. The end result will be an unprecedented mobile platform that will enable wireless operators and manufacturers to give their customers better, more personal and more flexible mobile experiences.
34 companies have formed the Open Handset Alliance, which aims to develop technologies that will significantly lower the cost of developing and distributing mobile devices and services. The Android platform is the first step in this direction - a fully integrated mobile ‘software stack’ that consists of an operating system, middleware, user-friendly interface and applications. Consumers should expect the first phones based on Android to be available in the second half of 2008.
The Android platform will be made available under one of the most progressive, developer-friendly open-source licences, which gives mobile operators and device manufacturers significant freedom and flexibility to design products. Next week, the Alliance will release an early access software development kit to provide developers with the tools necessary to create innovative and compelling applications for the platform.
Android holds the promise of unprecedented benefits for consumers, developers and manufacturers of mobile services and devices, the group says. Handset manufacturers and wireless operators will be free to customize Android in order to bring to market innovative new products faster and at a much lower cost. Developers will have complete access to handset capabilities and tools that will enable them to build more compelling and user-friendly services, bringing the Internet developer model to the mobile space. And consumers worldwide will have access to less expensive mobile devices that feature more compelling services, rich Internet applications and easier-to-use interfaces - ultimately creating a superior mobile experience.
“This partnership will help unleash the potential of mobile technology for billions of users around the world,” says Google Chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt. “A fresh approach to fostering innovation in the mobile industry will help shape a new computing environment that will change the way people access and share information in the future. “Today's announcement is more ambitious than any single 'Google Phone' that the press has been speculating about over the past few weeks. Our vision is that the powerful platform we're unveiling will power thousands of different phone models."
For T-Mobile, René Obermann, CEO of parent company Deutsche Telekom says:
“As a founding member of the Open Handset Alliance, T-Mobile is committed to innovation and fostering an open platform for wireless services to meet the rapidly evolving and emerging needs of wireless customers. “Google has been an established partner for T-Mobile's groundbreaking approach to bring the mobile open Internet to the mass market. We see the Android platform as an exciting opportunity to launch robust wireless Internet and Web 2.0 services for T-Mobile customers in the US and Europe in 2008."
HTC Corp CEO Peter Chou comments:
“HTC's trademark on the mobile industry has been its ability to drive cutting-edge innovation into a wide variety of mobile devices to create the perfect match for individuals. “Our participation in the Open Handset Alliance and integration of the Android platform in the second half of 2008 enables us to expand our device portfolio into a new category of connected mobile phones that will change the complexion of the mobile industry and re-create user expectations of the mobile phone experience."
For Qualcomm, CEO Dr. Paul E. Jacobs, Chief Executive says:
“The convergence of the wireless and Internet industries is creating new partnerships, evolving business models and driving innovation. We are extremely pleased to be participating in the Open Handset Alliance, whose mission is to help build the leading open-source application platform for 3G networks. The proliferation of open-standards-based handsets will provide an exciting new opportunity to create compelling services and devices. As a result, we are committing research and development resources to enable the Android platform and to create the best always-connected consumer experience on our chipsets."
Last but not least, Ed Zander, Chairman and CEO of Motorola comments:
“Motorola has long been an advocate of open software for mobile platforms. Today, we're excited to continue this support by joining Google and others in the announcement of the Open Handset Alliance and Android platform. Motorola plans to leverage the Android platform to enable seamless, connected services and rich consumer experiences in future Motorola products."
Other founding members of the Open Handset Alliance include China Mobile, eBay, Intel, KDDI, LG,  NTT DoCoMo, Samsung and Telefónica.
We'll have more on Android as the story unfolds.

Enter the Skypephone

Skype and mobile operator 3 have launched a handset that lets users make free Skype to Skype calls and send free Skype instant messages from their mobile phone to other Skype users no matter where they are. 
The 3 Skypephone is a fully-featured 3G Internet phone with Skype built-in. In addition to Skype calls, the phone makes conventional calls and can be used to access 3’s other Internet services. It was developed by Skype and 3 in partnership with Qualcomm, using Qualcomm’s BREW platform to enable Skype to work with core handset features such as address book and messaging.
The phone has a 2 Megapixel camera, MP3 player and Bluetooth. It comes in black or white, with blue or pink trim.  3 customers using the 3 Skypephone will be able to make Skype calls and send instant messages on the move with the push of a button. 3 notes that this is the first time an operator has offered a mass market device which is tailor-made for free calling over the Internet from a mobile. Now, all of Skype’s 246 million registered users can be reached for free with the 3 Skypephone.
“Skype is now truly mobile,” says Michael van Swaaij, acting CEO at Skype. “This new handset is incredibly easy to use and lets you make free mobile Skype calls when you are on the move to other Skype users all over the world no matter where they are.  Skype began by offering free PC to PC calling and now we’re doing the same with mobile calls with 3. Thanks to 3, Skype has now taken a giant step forward in the mobile arena. It takes an innovative operator like 3 to challenge traditional thinking and offer the kind of product other operators are still shying away from.”
3UK CEO Kevin Russell adds:
“3 wants to make the mobile Internet available to everyone. To do this, we believe that services need to be simple to access and affordable. Communication is the prime function of the mobile today. Skype is the leader in Internet communications. To enable Skype to go mobile in this way brings free Internet calls together with an affordable 3G handset. Mobile has the potential to massively increase access to Internet calling.” 
The 3 Skypephone will be available this year in the UK, Australia, Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong, Italy, Ireland, Macau and Sweden. Skype to Skype calls will always be free from the 3 Skypephone as long as you are on contract or your PAYG 3 credit is topped up monthly. In the UK, the 3 Skypephone costs £49.99 on a PAYG tariff or free on a contract.
The 3 Skypephone will be available from Friday, 2 November in 3Stores across the UK and from Skype and 3’s websites in time for Christmas. The 3 Skypephone is available for pre-order in the UK from today. Anyone who doesn’t already use Skype can create a Skype account by going to the Skype website and downloading the free software onto their computer. Alternatively they can create a Skype account directly from their 3 Skypephone.

Symbian Reveals Smartphone Show Plans

Symbian has released details of its plans for this year’s Symbian Smartphone Show, which takes place at the Excel Centre, London on 16 and 17 October. At the show, the leading lights of the mobile industry will come together with 3,500 delegates to showcase the latest technologies and discuss what’s next for the world of Smartphones.
The Symbian Smartphone Show will explore current technologies and trends from around the world, as well as providing a glimpse of what’s around the corner. Highlights will include 10 visionary keynotes from some of the industry’s most forward-thinking players as well as 60 engaging seminars, split into three tracks, looking at the Smartphone technologies and applications that are here now; the next phase of development for the mobile future; and the technologies that will take us there.
In the exhibition hall, 120 exhibitors will showcase the latest trends and technologies in the Smartphone world. In The Terminal, the latest models handset manufacturers including Nokia, Samsung, Sony Ericsson and Motorola will be on display. Developers can visit the Live Lounge, new for 2007, to meet others in the Symbian Developer Network, discuss hot topics and receive training.
Symbian CEO Nigel Clifford will kick off proceedings on Day One with a keynote, titled: ‘Taking Our World With Us’, setting the stage for the debates and discussions to follow over the next two days. He will outline how Symbian is pushing the boundaries of convergence to drive innovations in the mobile world.
Continuing this theme, other keynotes and discussions will focus on hot topics like location-based services and emerging mobile services like VoIP and Mobile TV. They will consider the next generation of mobile multimedia and graphics, and examine the coming challenges and opportunities for the mobile industry in the converged future.
You can register for a free pass to both days of the event here.

O2 Gets the iPhone Shock

So the worst kept secret of the year so far is out. At a launch in the Regent Street Apple Store this morning, the UK's largest operator, O2, was unveiled by Apple CEO Steve Jobs no less, as the official network partner for the UK launch of the iPhone. 
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with O2 to offer our revolutionary iPhone to UK customers”, said Jobs. “US iPhone customer satisfaction is off the charts, and we can’t wait to let UK customers get their hands on it and learn what they think of it”.
The handset will be available to O2 customers from 9 November, though curiously, there’s very little song and dance about it on the O2 website. There’s no mention of it on the home page, and the O2 online shop is currently unavailable, either for updating, or possibly due to hordes of consumers trying to log on and place an order. Neither the handset, nor Apple itself, even features in the mobile handset selector menu on the site.
The 8GB handset will cost £269 and will sync up to a PC or Mac. It will be available direct from O2, from Apple stores, and from The Carphone Warehouse. There are three tariffs, £35, £45 and £55, all including “unlimited” data, though this is subject to the usual fair usage policy. The tariffs also include free unlimited use of the 7,500-hotspot UK-wide wi-fi network, The Cloud.
The lack of 3G capabilities may put some off - Jobs said at the launch that a 3G version would be ready some time next year – but given the frenzy around the iPhone since its launch in the States, the other UK operators, however interested or otherwise they may have claimed to be in the iPhone, should perhaps brace themselves for a flood of calls from their customers asking for their PAC (Port Authorisation Code) in the run-up to Christmas.

D90 Combines Fastap and eZiType

Canadian operator TELUS and handset maker ZTE have announced the availability in Canada of the ZTE D90, featuring the Digit Wireless’ Fastap keypad. TELUS says that consumers with a Fastap-equipped phone typically send between two and four times as many text messages as users of other handsets.
Developed by Digit Wireless, the Fastap keypad integrates letter and punctuation keys around the standard numeric keypad on a mobile phone, enabling users to compose messages significantly faster than with a standard keypad.
The ZTE D90 is the first mobile handset in the world to feature both the the Fastap keyboard, and Zi Corporation’s eZiType software, which offers word completion, next word and phrase prediction, and auto-correction of common misspellings and keyboard errors, in English and French, for increased data input speed and accuracy.
“Canadians are now sending more than 21 million person-to-person text messages each day” says Stephen Ospalak, TELUS vice-president of Subscriber Devices. “The ZTE D90 from TELUS merges the hottest mobile messaging and entertainment services with the award-winning design of the Fastap keypad, and Zi Corporation’s eZiType engine, to deliver a highly functional and stylish device that is easy to use and helps our clients save time,”
The ZTE D90 incorporates a Fastap keypad that combines innovative use of backlighting with semi-transparent key graphics. At first glance, the Fastap keypad looks like a standard 12 button phone, but lights up when in use, simplifying the use of messaging and TELUS SPARK services.
Additionally, the ZTE D90 features ‘hot keys’, enabling one-click access to services, applications or contacts from the idle screen, with the ability for users to personalise ‘hot keys’ to their favourite applications and contacts.
The ZTE D90 also gives users easy access to TELUS SPARK services, including the  TELUS Mobile Music full track download service, TELUS Mobile Radio, Windows Live Messenger, TELUS My Email for accessing select POP3 e-mail solutions including Hotmail and Yahoo, and location-based services such as TELUS Navigator and TELUS Kid Find to help users find destinations and family.
The ZTE D90 operates on TELUS’s wireless high speed network and features a built-in 1.3 megapixel digital camera, as well as Bluetooth support for compatible accessories such as a stereo headset and expandable MicroSD port.

LSI Unveils Mass-market Cameraphone Platforms

LSI Corporation has unveiled two additions, the X112 and X113, to its 'TrueNTRY' mobile phone platform for the low-cost, mass-market cameraphone segment. The two platforms feature integrated camera functionality and yet, says LSI, result in a low cost for GPRS handsets, which is currently the largest selling segment of mobile phones. The TrueNTRY mobile phone platforms support camera resolutions of up to 1.3 Megapixels, along with a full range of camera and multimedia features.
By integrating camera functionality into low cost mobile phones, LSI says it is enabling handset makers to differentiate themselves in the competitive low-cost, mass market, and so target high-growth countries like India and China where camera-capable handsets are in high demand.
“With these two new platforms, LSI now has three pin- and software-compatible camera solutions that allow our customers to provide cost-optimised solutions for all low-cost and entry-level segments” says Denis Regimbal, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Mobility business at LSI. 
Based on the LSI  rchitecture, the TrueNTRY X112 and X113 platforms offer image quality of 0.3 and 1.3 Megapixels respectively. The platforms also offer improved camera performance, such as ‘burst’ mode for rapid-fire shots, and a shorter latency period between single shots. They include built-in photo editing effects, including sepia, black & white, sketch and other special effects. LSI is enabling these highly competitive, low-cost BOM (bill of materials) platforms by integrating the camera functionality into the baseband chip, thereby eliminating the need for an external camera companion device.
The LSI cameraphone platforms enable handset makers to get mobile phones to market quickly, by leveraging the LSI OptiVerse software architecture. OptiVerse features a scalable and flexible software architecture that enables customers to re-use their application software and hence lower their overall development time and cost. The platforms also include the robust LSI protocol stack software which is shipping worldwide in more than 50 million mobile phones annually.
In addition to their camera capabilities, the TrueNTRY X112 and X113 platforms also feature advanced audio processing, including dynamic noise suppression, echo cancellation, and full duplex speakerphone; integrated polyphonic sound synthesizer and MP3 ring tones; a Bluetooth interface for wireless access; integrated power management solution that supports all phone peripherals; and integrated battery-charging, with over-voltage protection
For the mid-range multi-media cameraphone segment, LSI offers another pin and software-compatible device, the X115 mobile phone platform, which supports 2 Megapixel camera resolutions and is already shipping in volume.
LSI is currently shipping sample quantities of the X112 and X113 cameraphone platforms.

iPhone to go to O2?

A report in this morning’s FT suggests that O2 is poised to become the network partner for the iPhone in the UK when it launches later this year. Apple is limiting the Eureopan launch of the iPhone initially to the UK, France and Germany, and is believed to have held negotiations with four European operators: O2, T-Mobile, Orange and Vodafone.
While the deal would undoubtedly represent a coup for O2, some industry analysts question the appeal, from an operator perspective, of a device where music tracks can be side-loaded on to the handset from a PC, denying download revenue to the network operator. 

iPhone Survey Results Revealed

Blogging network Shiny Media has published the results of an iPhone survey it ran last month. Over 500 people took part in the survey, which was conducted online between 19 – 27 April.
When asked how likely they were to buy an iPhone when it arrives, 7.6% of respondents said that they would definitely be buying one, while 46.2% said that they'd seriously consider getting an iPhone, but only if the available deal was attractive. 17.4% said they'd get it if nothing better was on the market, while 23.9% said that they were unlikely to get it, and 4.8% said they'd definitely not buy an iPhone. 12.3% of respondents would break their mobile contracts early if it meant they could get an iPhone when it's released.
On price, the majority (59.1%) of those surveyed said they'd only be willing to pay up to £200 for the iPhone. 26.7% would pay between £200 and £250, with 10.1% willing to pay between £250 and £300. 4% of respondents said they would pay over £300 for the iPhone.
When it came to assessing the best features of the iPhone, 24% of respondents ranked how the iPhone looks as its crowning glory. 14.5% noted its touch screen, 11% its wi-fi capabilities, 7.1% its multi-touch gesturing system, and another 7.1% just because it's an Apple product.
On the flip side, it wasn't surprising to note that the factors that could let the iPhone down were the cost (37.7%), poor battery life (13.9%), lack of a physical keyboard (10.4%), and being tied to a single mobile network (8.4%). Interestingly, only 4.5% of respondents thought that not having 3G was a major shortcoming, .
Quizzed about rivals to the iPhone, over 1 in 4 respondents (26.4%) thought the Nokia N95 was its biggest threat, closely followed by the Sony Ericsson W950i (22.7%) and LG Prada phone (22.2%).
Asked more generally which mobile phone manufacturer is likely to deliver an iPhone killer, 32.8% said Nokia, with 29.8% plumping for Sony Ericsson, 13.3% for LG, 11.2% for Samsung, and 7.9% for Motorola.

Symbian Hits 20 million in Japan

Symbian has revealed that over 20 million Symbian Smartphones have shipped in Japan as of 31 March 2007.
Symbian OS is the market-leading, open mobile operating system for Smartphones. Since the first 3G Symbian Smartphones - the FOMA F2051 and FOMA F2102, manufactured by Fujitsu - began shipping in Japan in 2003, there has been a steady increase in Symbian OS-based models in Japan. In 2004, there were six Symbian OS-based models manufactured by Fujitsu and Nokia. In 2005, there were 14 models from Fujitsu, Nokia, Mitsubishi, Sharp, and Motorola, which soared to 44 models from six handset vendors including Sony Ericsson in 2006. As of May 2007, 55 Symbian OS based models have been shipped.
It took three years to reach the first10 million Symbian Smartphones and less than one year to reach the next 10 million. This growth was driven by the remarkable innovation from the advanced 3G mobile market in Japan, as well as the capabilities of Symbian OS in reducing time-to-market and meeting the requirements of handset vendors and network operators.
“Symbian offers functionality, security and flexibility that the mobile phone market demands, fast” says Kiyohito Nagata, Vice President Managing Director, Product Department at NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
Haruhiko Hisa, President of Symbian Japan adds:
“We have reached the mark of shipping over 20 million Symbian Smartphones as a result of the support we have been given by all our network operators, handset manufacturers and partners to become a more open and versatile OS. Going forward, we shall focus on contributing to the development of high function handsets at lower build costs as well as continuing to fulfill our important role of enlarging the mobile phone market.”

Cisco Sues Apple Over iPhone Marque

After the party, the headache. Just a day after the launch of the iPhone, Cisco Systems announced that it had filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California against Apple,  seeking to prevent the company from “infringing upon and deliberately copying and using Cisco's registered iPhone trademark.”
Cisco obtained the iPhone trademark in 2000 after completing the acquisition of Infogear, which previously owned the mark and sold iPhone products for several years. Infogear's original filing for the trademark dates to March 20, 1996.
Furthermore, Linksys, a division of Cisco, has been shipping a new family of iPhone products since early last year, and on Dec 18, Linksys expanded the iPhone family with additional products. According to Cisco, Apple sought permission to use the name, but when it failed to obtain it, went ahead anyway. "Cisco entered into negotiations with Apple in good faith after Apple repeatedly asked permission to use Cisco's iPhone name," says Cisco Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Mark Chandler. "There is no doubt that Apple's new phone is very exciting, but they should not be using our trademark without our permission…The potential for convergence of the home phone, cell phone, work phone and PC is limitless, which is why it is so important for us to protect our brand."
Mobile Marketing understands that Apple intends to fight the lawsuit and push on with its plans for the iPhone launch.
More information on the Cisco iPhone product line here.

Apple Launches iPhone as “the ultimate digital device”

As regular readers will know, we don’t concern ourselves too much with devices here at Mobile Marketing. There are plenty of gadget mags and sites for those how need their mobile phone fix. But we couldn’t let the launch of the iPhone pass without a mention. Unveiled yesterday at Macworld expo in San Francisco, the iPhone’s appearance marks the end of months of speculation, and will doubtless have established handset makers quivering in their boots if the success of the iPod is anything to go by.
The device itself looks suitably sexy. 4.5 x 2.4 x 0.46 inches of sleek, shiny black convergence, weighing in at 135g, with a 3.5-inch screen with touch-screen controls. Like the iPod, it has been designed by British designer Jonathan Ives.
Apart from its phone and music capabilities, the iPhone also offers a calendar and email facilities, and can be used to download and view movies and also to store and view photos. It uses Apple’s OSX operating system and comes complete with a Safari web browser, Google Maps, and a 2 megapixel camera. The battery will give five hours of talk time, watching video or web browsing, or 16 hours of music playback. On the comms side of things, it’s a quad-band GSM phone which also features EDGE and wi-fi for data networking. In launching the iPhone, Apple CEO Steve Jobs described it as “the ultimate digital device.”
The iPhone launches in the US in June, in Europe in October, and in Asia in 2008. The 4GB version will cost $499 (£257), an 8GB version $599 (£309). Apple has chosen Cingular, which has over 58 million subscribers, as its exclusive carrier partner for iPhone in the US.
Apple says it hopes to secure 1% of the global handset market by 2008, which would translate to sales of 10m iPhones. Given the success of the iPod, you wouldn’t put it past Apple to achieve, or even better this figure. 

 

100 million Milestone for Symbian

Mobile operating system company Symbian has revealed that 100 million Symbian Smartphones have shipped to over 250 network operators worldwide since the company’s formation. 37 million Symbian Smartphones have shipped so far in 2006, including 13 million in the third quarter. Symbian develops and licenses Symbian OS, the operating system for advanced,data-enabled Smartphones to the world’s leading handset manufacturers.
“Hitting the 100 million mark with over 100 different models currently shipping from 10 leading handset vendors is a phenomenal achievement for Symbian and a strong indication that more and more people are embracing the Smartphone lifestyle” says Symbian CEO Nigel Clifford. “However, we are still at the beginning of a technology revolution that will change peoples’ lives profoundly.”
Andy Brown, Mobile Devices Specialist at IT market intelligence company IDT, predicts that cumulative sales of Smartphones will reach over 1 billion units by 2011. He says:
"The Smartphone segment of the handset market is seeing strong annual growth and is expected to rise from 57 million units in 2005 to around 250 million units by the end of 2010. The advent of single-chip designs will inevitably attract a growing number of licensees and drive greater penetration into the mid-market."
Since the first Symbian OS phone, the Ericsson R380, shipped in 2000, Symbian has worked with an ecosystem of customers, partners, vendors, content players and application developers within a marketplace demanding ever-increasing segmentation and customisation. Today, 100 million Symbian Smartphones have sold around the world, including devices manufactured by BenQ, Ericsson, Fujitsu, Lenovo, Mitsubishi, Motorola, Nokia, Panasonic, Samsung, Sendo, Sharp, Siemens, and Sony Ericsson.
“Reaching the 100 million milestone is not Symbian’s achievement alone” says Clifford. “We thank our customers and network operators for their support. We also thank Symbian developers for driving innovation in the Smartphone market and our close network of 300 Symbian Platinum Partners, in particular our vital user interface partners in S60, UIQ and MOAP that continue to develop new software solutions and award-winning applications for Symbian OS. Our combined efforts result in compelling, innovative and differentiated phones.”

BT Inks 3G DAB-IP Deal

BT has signed an agreement with ZTE, the Chinese provider of telecomms equipment and network solutions, to develop the world’s first 3G mobile handset that is compatible with BT Movio’s wholesale mobile entertainment service.
The handset will enable 3G mobile operators to offer BT Movio’s broadcast Mobile TV and DAB digital radio service, alongside existing video-on-demand services and niche channels over their 3G networks. Consumers will not have to worry about which technology to choose, says BT. They will simply see a wider selection of channels and services, and will be able to enjoy them in clear, digital quality.
The agreement was signed today at a ceremony in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to mark the occasion of Chinese Premier Wen’s official visit to the UK. It follows the commercial launch of BT Movio in the UK last week, in which BT Movio was confirmed as the first wholesale service in the world to offer a service consisting of Mobile TV, DAB digital radio, a 7-day programme guide and ‘red button’ interactivity for mobile phones. ZTE will develop and supply multi-mode 3G/DAB-IP enabled handsets to further extend the portfolio of devices capable of supporting the BT Movio service.
“With China’s status as the world’s largest manufacturer of mobile devices, the partnership with ZTE provides evidence of the growing support for BT Movio’s IP-based approach to mobile TV in the world’s most influential mobile market” says BT Movio Managing Director, Emma Lloyd. “Furthermore, with the introduction of the first 3G mobile device capable of supporting DAB-IP, we will be in a strong position to extend the BT Movio wholesale proposition to 3G mobile operators in the UK.”

Virgin Confirms Mobile TV Launch Date. Read.

The Surprising Smartphone

David Wood, Executive Vice President, Research, at Symbian, explains how the Smartphone creates “unexpected convergence” leading to the development of innovative mobile products and services

One way you can tell the health of a product platform is via the number of happy product surprises it gives you. If a product platform is past its prime, new products will still arise from it, but they’ll tend to be repetitions on a theme - more of the same as before. These new products might cause some intellectual interest, but they won’t turn your head. But with Smartphones, there are pleasant shocks and surprises nearly every week. New Smartphone applications regularly reach out to touch unexpected areas of our lives - areas that we previously thought had nothing to do with Smartphones.

For example, take golf. Previously, it has been possible to play simulations of golf on various handsets. But that’s virtual golf, not real golf. You progress through these games by carefully pressing and releasing buttons on the Smartphone keypad, not by swinging a real-world golf club. However, Nokia recently turned this on its head, by releasing their Pro Session Golf Application for the N93 Smartphone. This application capitalises on the excellent video recording capabilities of the N93. The result is that you can improve your real-world golf skills. While on the golf course, you can ask one of your playing partners to film you as you strike the ball. The N93 fits comfortably into a pocket, so there’s no worry about having to drag heavy equipment with you around the golf course. The filming takes a little practice, as you have to learn to line up the picture against the template of a golf professional that is displayed on the screen. But you soon get the knack. Then the intelligence that’s in the Smartphone comes to the fore:

*    You can take a look at how your swing matches up to that of professional players
*    You can compare various angles, such as the angle you hold the club
*    You can compare the timing of aspects of your swing.