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Updates for day 3 of the GSMA Mobile World Congress are as follows:
Vodafone to ship with Google’s Android
Vodafone is the new name to be added to the growing list of companies offering smartphones based on Google’s Android operating system. Vodafone has decided to use HTC’s new Magic handset and has acquired exclusive rights to market the device in the UK, Spain, and Germany.
Vodafone hasn’t officially announced the launch date or the pricing details, stating only that it will be available in the Spring. Interest users can register online with Vodafone for udpates.
The GSMA and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation team up
The GSMA and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have announced a new programme that promises to make affordable mobile financial services available to the developing world. The programme is called the “Mobile Money for the Unbanked (MMU).”
Rob Conway, the GSMA CEO said, “There are over 1 billion people in emerging markets today who don’t have a bank account but do have a mobile phone. This presents a huge opportunity and mobile operators are perfectly placed to bring mobile financial services to to this largely untapped customer base.”
LG Launches Arena
LG launched its flagship Arena (LG-KM900), which is the first mobile phone featuring its new 3D S-Class User Interface (UI). The UI has a 3C cube layout and four customisable home screens. The UI provides direct access to applications and services, thus eliminating nested menus.
The company further announced that it will continue with its commitment to Microsoft’s Windows Mobile platform and will support Google’s Android platform as well later this year.
Nokia and Qualcomm team up
Nokia and Qualcomm, after having gone through a much difficult and often litigious relationship, have finally come together to develop WCDMA-based 3G devices. The new handsets will be based on Nokia’s S60 software on the Symbian Operating System and will use Qualcomm’s Mobile Station Modem (MSM) chipsets.
Alex Katouzian, VP of product management at Qualcomm’s QCT division said that it was the first time the two companies had worked together on a WCDMA product. “It will be a family of devices… it takes a lot of effort to create a first product but we can then create derivatives from it and that’s when the phone manufacturer and the chipset vendor will begin to see volumes and profit.”
3 and Sony Ericsson offer integrated apps
Mobile Internet users can soon expect optimised versions of Facebook, Windows Live Messenger, and a Youtube uploader tool. 3 and Sony Ericsson are teaming up to this end and plan to integrate the applications into handsets from March.
C510 Cybershot will be the first handset to feature all of these application in an integrated manner. Users will be able to update their facebook status and review news feeds with just one click.
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