SAN FRANCISCO-Executives from Cingular Wireless L.L.C., VeriSign Inc. subsidiary Jamster!, WiderThan, Orange SA and others took turns discussing the future of wireless content and the mobile Web during the Mobile Software Value Chain forum here, while Opera Software used the event to announce plans to introduce the full Internet to around 700 million Java phone users.
Opera said it plans to distribute its new Java-based Opera Mini Web browser worldwide, although the company did not provide specifics. Opera first announced its Mini browser in August.
Timo Bruns, vice president of Opera’s mobile software efforts, said Opera soon would make its Mini product available to subscribers across the globe. The company hopes its Mini offering will replace WAP browsers with a Java application that allows users to surf standard HTML Web sites rather than just WAP sites.
“We need one Web on all devices,” Bruns said. “It’s a bit of a futile experience to try to deliver two versions of the same content.”
Most mobile phones ship with a WAP Web browser, which only can render Internet sites written in WML or XHTML script. Opera’s new Mini browser can render standard HTML Internet sites-which the company said gives phone users access to content usually reserved for desktop computers. The browser essentially squeezes regular Internet sites into a phone screen using server-client technology.
A small phone screen “should not stop us from giving the full Internet experience on a mobile device,” Bruns said.
Opera’s announcement followed some revealing comments from a trio of the world’s largest wireless operators. Executives from Cingular in the United States and Orange and T-Mobile International AG in Europe-carriers that cover a total of 150 million subscribers-said content and applications are high on their lists of priorities.
“We look for more mature (content) providers and partners,” said Philipp Schloter, senior consultant for strategy and innovation advisory with Deutsche Telekom Consulting. Schloter oversees much of the strategy around DT’s T-Mobile European wireless operations.
Cingular’s Abhi Ingle, vice president of the carrier’s data solutions consulting, echoed Schloter’s comments. He said Cingular is always on the lookout for new content partners, but will team only with experienced, self-sufficient companies.
“I cannot get you from zero to one or zero to 10,” Ingle said, explaining that Cingular will not help content developers with their marketing expenses or business plans.
The carriers’ comments spanned the gamut of the wireless industry. Among the more notable items:
- Schloter said T-Mobile in Europe will expand its “hands-off” approach to the wireless Internet. T-Mobile recently replaced its T-zones wireless data portal with Google Inc.’s wireless Web search page. Schloter said the carrier would do the same thing with its enterprise portal.
- Cingular’s Ingle said the carrier is in the process of installing IP Multimedia Subsystem technology as part of its W-CDMA/HSDPA upgrade. He said the carrier would offer developer-training programs to promote IMS applications.
- Finally, executives from both Orange and T-Mobile discussed their experience with mobile TV offerings. Orange’s Steve Glagow said most MobiTV subscribers watch around 35 minutes of video per month, usage that does not overly strain the carrier’s network.
