News
Issue #2003 - 10 (March 2003)
(Updated Mar. 26, 2003)

DEVICES

Microsoft Signs Up Nextel and Motorola for iDEN Smart Phones

Motorola said it is working with Nextel to develop a tri-band mobile phone that would be based on Microsoft's Smartphone platform. Few additional details of this deal are currently available.

The new phone is planned for release sometime in 2004 and will run on both GSM/GPRS networks and Nextel's iDEN network.

Nextel Communications also said it plans to offer Wi-Fi-enabled phones. Motorola is developing the devices. The new Wi-Fi phone is designed to work on both Nextel's iDEN network as well as on a Wi-Fi network using VoIP technology for voice calls. No word yet on when this new Wi-Fi phone will be released. And the killer news of this year's CTIA trade show is that Motorola said it is working with Nextel to develop a tri-band mobile phone that would be based on Microsoft's Smartphone platform. The new phone is planned for release sometime in 2004 and will run on both GSM/GPRS networks and Nextel's iDEN network.

For more information: http://www.motorola.com

MobileInfo Comments and Advisory: Some analysts have counted Microsoft off in the smart phone space, acknowledging Symbian a huge market share (90-95% ??- not sure, hence the question mark). We do not share this as a long-term view of smart phone operating system environment. Symbian will continue to lead the cellular phone OS market for a foreseeable future. But Microsoft will come back again and again till it succeeds. For the sake of innovation, we do need a competitive environment. Some would say, Symbian is serving Microsoft's own recipe from Windows world, albeit in a different setting.

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