Openwave to Support i-mode Phone
Openwave Systems Inc., the leading provider of open software products and services for the communications industry, today announced a collaborative agreement with SAGEM, a major international player in telecommunications manufacturing, to deliver the SG321i, one of the first i-mode-compliant phones to be produced by a European manufacturer, to Bouygues Telecom, a French mobile operator acknowledged for its policy of innovation. The phone will use the Openwave Mail Client for i-mode and Openwave Mobile Browser V.7 (V7 Browser), the flagship application from Openwave Phone Suite Version 7.
The popular i-mode service, created by Japan’s NTT DoCoMo, Inc., has already been launched in a number of countries throughout Europe, each with unique content.
As NTT DoCoMo continues to roll out its service in Europe and other regions, operators and handset manufacturers intend to develop and integrate i-mode compliant phones with their existing standards. Openwave client software delivers market leading implementations of both i-mode and Open Mobile Alliance standards.
“We appreciate Openwave’s devoted effort and cooperation for the development of the i-mode browser and messaging client for the SAGEM i-mode handset,” commented Mr. Shigeru Sando, Managing Director, i-mode Global Business, NTT DoCoMo, Inc. “We are confident of the success in global i-mode as we continue our cooperative relationship, and it is our intention to strengthen our relationship for the global expansion of i-mode.”
SAGEM was one of the first European manufacturers to act on NTT DoCoMo’s call to develop i mode phones outside of Japan. With Openwave client software, SAGEM has created a consistent and unique user-interface for their i-mode phone while leveraging the investments that they are already making in phone software and applications.
“The i-mode SG321i is an invaluable asset for SAGEM’s GSM product portfolio since it is not only our first product based on i-mode technology but also the very first slide phone that we launch and we are happy to have worked on it with Openwave,” said Thierry Buffenoir, Managing Director of SAGEM’s Mobile Phones Division.
“We’re proud to be a part of SAGEM’s market building momentum for i-mode phones in Europe,” said Don Listwin, chief executive officer at Openwave. “We are partnering to deliver phones that work on any network and platform and dramatically improve the user experience.”
“We are delighted to be working with SAGEM and Openwave, and welcome their work in the i mode marketplace,” said BenoÎt Louvet, Multimedia / i-mode Director at Bouygues Telecom. “With the rapid growth of i mode services in France and in Europe, Bouygues Telecom is pleased to see Openwave take a leading role, combining their multimedia heritage with innovation in the implementation of i-mode to help us deliver an improved user experience.”
About Openwave Client Suite
Openwave Client Suite for i-mode is installable without a separate porting effort, integrates well with other rich applications on the phone and meets operator needs.
Openwave® Mobile Browser V7 — As the flagship application of Openwave Phone Suite Version 7, the V7 Browser represents an advance in mobile browsing technology, including significant developments in page rendering, to provide an improved user experience. UI customization ensures consistency with the rest of the phone interface, allowing manufacturers and carriers to easily customize handsets for their target audiences.
Openwave Mail Client — Underpins the i-mode messaging service with support for i-mode Mail and i-MMS. i-mode Mail, one of i-mode’s most successful applications, enables users to send messages with the push of a button and receive messages automatically — and at low cost.
Openwave’s V7 applications, such as the Openwave Mobile Browser, build on Openwave’s legacy of shipping client software for mass-market phones, with more than half a billion phones and over 600 phone platforms shipped worldwide, in hundreds of successful network deployments.
Over 650,000 developers have already downloaded the Openwave Mobile SDK to create compelling mobile applications that are compatible with Openwave Mobile Browser. To view a regularly updated list of devices that utilize Openwave Mobile Browser, please visit http://www.openwave.com/us/products/mobile/device_products/mobile_browser/.
About Openwave
Openwave Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: OPWV) is the leading independent provider of open software products and services for the communications industry. Openwave’s breadth of products, including mobile phone software, multimedia messaging software (MMS), email, location and mobile gateways, along with its worldwide expertise enable its customers to deliver innovative and differentiated data services. Openwave is a global company headquartered in Redwood City, California. For more information please visit www.openwave.com.
About SAGEM
Groupe SAGEM is an internationally based high-technology group. The second largest French group in the field of telecommunications, the third European company in electronics for defense and security, the world leader in fingerprint-based biometrics, major actor in avionics and information systems for aircraft, SAGEM maintains a presence in more than 20 countries.