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Mobile software provider Openwave has signed a deal to provide instant messaging systems on Genie's WAP phones. Openwave's testing team of 35 staff in Belfast are currently trialing the system, ElectricNews.Net has learned. The new IM system is to offer compatibility with MSN Messenger and is expected to be available in the UK in early 2002.
The new Openwave platform is to merge the features of SMS, WAP (short messaging services) and IM services. The IM capabilities are going to be interoperable with MSN Messenger, and it has been reported that Openwave is attempting to extend the platform to Yahoo's messenger as well as AOL's highly popular IM software to offer additional interoperability with other IM systems.
What makes the system unique is the use of instant messaging technologies in a mobile environment, and more precisely on handheld devices such as mobile phones. In fact, although instant messaging is hugely popular in the US it is a relatively new phenomena in Europe. Conversely, SMS is significantly more popular in Europe than in the US and the new platform will merge the two semi-competing technologies.
Genie, the mobile Internet business of mmO2, has 5.8 million registered users who will be able to access the IM service when it goes live in early 2002. Openwave said its software will provide Genie's subscribers with "presence" information about their contacts, which notifies them if their buddies have logged into the IM system whether they are on a mobile or a computer.
Openwave also supplies Genie with unified messaging capabilities for a recently-launched service called GenieOne. The companies have been partners for almost two years and have continually expanded on their relationship which was first sealed when Openwave became the provider for Genie's WAP browser and gateway.
In addition to Genie, Openwave said that five of the leading carriers across Europe, Asia and the Americas are currently in trial of the company's instant messaging solution. The company claims its IM solutions is built on industry standards such as XML, HTTP, HTML, SMPP, WML and consults with standards-based working groups like IMunified.org, the GSM Association and the WAP Forum.
As a result of the new technology employees at Openwave's Belfast office could be spared redundancies because it is working on these new IM systems. Openwave announced on 30 October that it is to make 300 job cuts worldwide, but has not yet identified where the cuts are to be made. At present, the Belfast office does not think it will be affected because 120 of its 192 staff members work in research and development in what is Openwave's largest research and development centre outside of the United States.
Openwave itself is the result of a merger between Phone.com and Software.com last year. The office in Belfast was called Apion until 1999, when it was acquired by Phone.com. In total, Openwave is the result of 16 different start-up companies, and the mergers have had a positive effect on the Belfast operations by bringing them into a large corporation with long-term prospects.
For more information visit http://www.openwave.com or http://www.02.com
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