Microsoft's big push to capture the mobile consumer

Stuart Corner
Monday, 11 February 2008 23:44

IT Industry - Strategy

Microsoft also released several updates to its Windows Live Mobile Developer Program including a new SDK and platform, the Microsoft Mobile Services Protocol, providing developers with additional capabilities to deliver Windows Live for mobile services and use the platform to innovate on top of those services.
Microsoft also announced that it is increasing offerings for its mobile operator partners by launching Windows Live @mobile, a global, standardised program to enable mobile operators to deploy a set of standard Microsoft mobile services such as Windows Live and MSN Mobile to their customers more quickly. "By deploying services more quickly, Windows Live @mobile gives Microsoft mobile operator partners additional revenue opportunities," Microsoft says

A year ago, at the GSM Congress in 2007, Microsoft unveiled PlayReady, a new content access technology designed for digital entertainment services, devices and applications, with a specific focus on meeting the needs of the mobile industry, and providing "significant improvements in ease of use for consumers looking to access, manage and enjoy content on a variety of devices."

Microsoft now says that PlayReady has gained significant industry momentum, including a recently announced collaborative effort with Nokia to build support for PlayReady technology into the Nokia S60 and Series 40 mobile device platforms.

At the GSM Congress this week, some of the world's leading mobile carriers and service providers also announced plans to deploy PlayReady. These included Telefónica Espana, Telecom Italia, Omnifone Ltd., and Weather Investments SpA, which has more than 100 million customers across nine countries through its Orascom Telecom Holding, Wind Italy and Wind Greece mobile operators.