Monday, 6 August 2007

Nokia Signs Up With Microsoft

Nokia, the world’s largest mobile phone maker by volumes and revenues has signed a deal with Microsoft to use its copy protection software to increase the use of wireless entertainment such as music and videos...

Nokia, the world’s largest mobile phone maker by volumes and revenues has signed a deal with Microsoft to use its copy protection software to increase the use of wireless entertainment such as music and videos.

Nokia, based in Espoo, Finland, will license Redmond, Washington based Microsoft's PlayReady digital rights management (DRM) technology to build it into its S60 software which is widely used software platform in cell-phones including the ones made by Korean giants LG and Samsung. Microsoft’s own Windows mobile is its closest competitor.

Nokia said it expects many S60 and the Series 40 phones using PlayReady technology to be commercially available in 2008.

Mobile entertainment market, currently a USD 19 billion market will grow to USD 38 billion by 2011, research firm Informa says. And it is this burgeoning market that mobile companies are targeting.

Games and music have been the main driver for mobile entertainment so far, but new boost to the market is expected from breakthrough of mobile television broadcasts.

Microsoft and Nokia said they would also work together to enhance and simplify consumer access to digital content using mobile devices.