Telstra has revealed the addition of almost one million new mobile services in the six months to December 2011, but Sensis revenues plummeted 24 percent in 12 months.
Access will look at converging NTT DoCoMo's existing Linux platform, MOAP(L) (Mobile Oriented Application Platform based on Linux) with ALP and will lead the development of a shared software platform that will conform to specifications of the LiMo Foundation, an independent, non-profit foundation established with the aim of promoting the use of Linux by the mobile industry. Access intends to begin marketing the commercial products resulting from these efforts during fiscal 2009.
Commenting on announcement of the MoU, market analyst firm, Ovum, said: "DoCoMo has been looking for a way to decrease its ever growing cost of ownership of MOAP(L) and provide its OEM partners with a software platform which can be used as a basis for handsets that can be marketed outside of Japan. Economically it is challenging for Japanese OEMs to deliver handsets that meet DoCoMo's high specifications with the volumes achievable within the Japanese market. Japanese OEMs need to leverage the investment in software by re-using it in devices outside of Japan."
Ovum identified a major barrier to this plan as being the fragmented state of the Linux mobile phone software market with a number of hopefuls jostling for global acceptance. And even at that time Ovum observed that NTT DoCoMo was hedging its bets by being active in both LiMo, as a founder member, and joining the Open Handset Alliance which is backing Android.
Cleary Google can bring many more goodies to the table when it comes seeking support for Android from a major carrier. NTT is a prime target because of the size of the i-mode user base which creates the opportunity to exploit synergies with Google's existing service and because it is perhaps the most technologically skilled cellular operator in the world with its own very extensive R&D facilities. But don't expect Google to stop in Japan as it moves to gain global acceptance for Android. Expect to see more tie ups like this one.
David Bass
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