June 12, 2004

By: Gregory Stone
Website: http://www.1st-in-cell-phones.com

Integration Aimed at Improving Data Phone User Experience and Reducing Manufacturer Costs

Openwave Systems Inc., the leading provider of open software products and services for the communications industry, today announced that IBM and Openwave are working together to offer WebSphere Everyplace Micro Environment, an authorized Java Powered product technology, as a pre-integrated component of Openwave Phone Suite Version 7.

This collaboration aims to offer handset manufacturers new choices for fulfilling mobile operators' requirements for game and application downloads while helping to maximize their performance through tighter integration between Java environments and Openwave client software. The companies are beginning commercial integration efforts now for phones expected to ship in early 2005.

IBM WebSphere Everyplace Micro Environment, part of IBM's Workplace Client Technology, Micro Edition family, features a certified implementation of the J2ME specifications, specifically the Connected Limited Device Configuration and Mobile Information Device Profile, which are core market requirements for the majority of mobile phones shipping today.

Implementing these Java technologies with V7 is aimed at reducing manufacturer phone production costs by reusing software components, improving memory utilization, and reducing the complexity of software integration. The result for mobile operators and their subscribers is lower cost data phones that smoothly integrate the latest features in an easier to use, unified device.

The poorly integrated nature of today's data phone software results in a poor user experience, unnecessary subscriber confusion, increased costs for manufacturers, and operator revenues that are lower than they could be, said Rob Williams, general manager of the client product group at Openwave. By more tightly integrating Java technology into V7, Openwave and IBM are working to help solve these challenges.

The industry continues to demand solutions that simplify the process of building and delivering data phones for manufactures worldwide. Customers also want increased performance for end users of these devices through tighter integration and optimization, said Bruce Morse, Vice President, Business Development, BM Pervasive Computing. By integrating IBM WebSphere with Openwave Phone Suite Version 7, Openwave is helping businesses build these solutions.

Author Notes:

Gregory Stone contributes and publishes news editorial to http://www.1st-in-cell-phones.com.  A source for info and tips for the cellular phone industry featuring articles, comparisons and reviews of cellular phones and service plans.