Word: symbian
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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...whose palmtops are especially popular outside the U.S. The 12.5-oz. device is the Psion 5mx ($549, list) and runs on a clever 32-bit operating system called Epoc, which has legions of devotees, just like Palm's OS. Epoc, you should know, was developed by a consortium called Symbian (which includes Nokia, Ericsson and Motorola), and is being positioned as the standard for next-generation cell phones--a distinct possibility since those manufacturers produce 80% of the world's mobile phones. That's probably why Microsoft referred to Psion as its "No. 1 global threat" in an internal memo...
When the giants agreed to an alliance, Psion became the Cinderella of the mobile-phone world. Analysts figured that if it won 15% of the mobile-phone market projected for 2003, Psion's share of Symbian alone could be worth $430 million a year. The deal also meant that Psion's computers might find more customers. Psion's depressed shares soared as a result, from $3.36 to $12 on the London Stock Exchange. "For a while it looked like Psion was finished, but by getting together with the dominant players in the telecom industry and partnering with them, they have...
...only Philips Electronics has actually licensed Psion's software for use in a smart phone, but the software has a compelling advantage: Symbian is charging just $5 a phone, while Microsoft charges computer makers $25 for each device that uses Windows CE, according to analysts. Jan Ahrenbring, an Ericsson vice president, adds that Microsoft's operating system "really wasn't applicable for mobile," but Microsoft maintains that the software is modular and can be customized to suit customers needs. South Korean manufacturer Samsung has produced the prototype of a Windows CE phone that it plans to market next year...
...addition to Symbian, the telecommunications industry has formed two other alliances to improve the usability of wireless devices. One of them, called the WAP Forum (for Wireless Application Protocol), is designing special browsers to bring Internet data to mobile phones, while a group named Bluetooth is trying to set a universal standard for radio communications between smart devices like palm computers and mobile phones. Interestingly, Microsoft has not joined either group...
...then, the battle between Microsoft and Symbian may have been resolved by the marketplace. Hand-held-computer makers could offer machines with Symbian's software in hopes of making them more appealing to consumers with mobile phones. Or the mobile-phone industry could beat a retreat and adopt Windows CE to ensure that their devices link up easily with existing desktop PCs. Either way, it's likely that the nations of Europe will be communicating with a single standard-- even if they are not yet talking with a unified voice...