Vodafone Encouraged by the Efforts to Create Designs Based on S60 Software on Symbian OS
Freescale Semiconductor (NYSE:FSL)(NYSE:FSL.B), Nokia Corporation (NYSE:NOK) and Symbian Limited are joining together to create the first 3G mobile phone reference design using Freescale’s single core modem, targeted to run S60 software on Symbian OS™. This reference design is expected to provide handset manufacturers and operators the first real solution to address the mid-tier 3G market segment, and to reduce device development time by up to 50 percent.
The foundation of this new reference design will be Freescale’s MXC300-30 platform, part of the award-winning Mobile eXtreme Convergence architecture. The reference design is expected to offer a pre-integrated development and verification environment, providing shorter time-to-market for phone manufacturers, operators and system integrators. Freescale is showcasing the MXC300-30 platform at next week’s 3GSM World Congress held in Barcelona.
“This S60 on Symbian OS-based single core reference design is a great step forward for OEMs to align feature sets and dramatically reduce development time for next-generation mid-tier 3G mobile phones,” said Franz Fink, senior vice president and general manager of Freescale’s Wireless and Mobile Systems Group. “Additionally, operators can increase their coverage by adding more people to the network and recouping 3G infrastructure investments.”
“This collaboration with Freescale and Symbian is an excellent milestone for S60 and 3G evolution. Together we expect to create a solution that further supports the solid volume growth of S60 and serves the mid-tier 3G market segments,” said Matti Vanska, Vice President, Mobile Software Sales and Marketing, Nokia. “The reference design provides our customers an efficient way to introduce S60 devices with advanced capabilities for imaging, multimedia and business services expected in today’s 3G handsets.”
“Symbian is focused on reducing development costs and improving performance for our customers’ mid-tier low-cost phones,” said Jorgen Behrens, vice-president, Product Management and Strategy, Symbian. “The results of this collaboration with Freescale, Nokia and Symbian will encourage handset manufacturers to develop more 3G phones and significantly shorten their time to market.”
Elektrobit Group Plc, (HEX: EBGV1), a company specialized in wireless technology design and testing, is implementing this reference design utilizing Elektrobit’s expertise in 3G technology and S60. This work further supports Elektrobit’s initiative to develop a 3G S60 on Symbian OS reference phone also announced today.
Operator benefits
Not only is this reference design expected to help handset manufacturers address key market segments, it is designed to simultaneously provide operators the opportunity to add more users to the network and recoup 3G investments.
“We are encouraged by the initiative taken by Freescale, Nokia and Symbian to develop a reference design based upon the MXC300-30 platform, which we hope will enable lower cost 3G S60 devices based on Symbian OS in 2007,” said Jens Schulte-Bockum, Vodafone Group Director of Terminals.
Freescale MXC solutions
The revolutionary MXC300-30 platform is part of the Mobile eXtreme Convergence family of platforms from Freescale. The single core modem processor at the heart of the MXC platforms combines, yet de-correlates, the DSP call processing functions and the MCU applications processing into a single processor for a separate, clean development and optimization of each function. The MXC family includes the MXC275-30 platform for 2.75G EDGE solutions, as well as the MXC300-30 platform for UMTS/WCDMA 3G solutions. For more information visit: http://www.freescale.com/MXC.
About Freescale Semiconductor
Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NYSE:FSL)(NYSE:FSL.B) is a global leader in the design and manufacture of embedded semiconductors for the automotive, consumer, industrial, networking and wireless markets. Freescale became a publicly traded company in July. The company is based in Austin, Texas, and has design, research and development, manufacturing or sales operations in more than 30 countries. Freescale, a member of the S&P 500, is one of the world’s largest semiconductor companies with 2005 sales of $5.8 billion (USD). http://www.freescale.com
About Nokia
Nokia is a world leader in mobile communications, driving the growth and sustainability of the broader mobility industry. Nokia connects people to each other and the information that matters to them with easy-to-use and innovative products like mobile phones, devices and solutions for imaging, games, media and businesses. Nokia provides equipment, solutions and services for network operators and corporations. http://www.nokia.com
About S60
S60 on Symbian OS is the leading smartphone software in the world and it is licensed by some of the foremost mobile phone manufacturers in the market. The flexibility of the S60 software allows for various hardware designs and software configurations. This is demonstrated through the multitude of S60 devices already available on the market. Through its award-winning user interface, extensive support for new mobile services and the innovation potential for partner solutions, S60 provides an open and scalable business opportunity for mobile operators and 3rd party developers. For further information about S60 news and community, please visit http://www.s60.com.
About Symbian
Symbian is a software licensing company that develops and licenses Symbian OS, the market leading open operating system for advanced, data-enabled mobile phones also known as smartphones.
Symbian licenses Symbian OS to the world’s leading handset manufacturers and has built close co-operative business relationships with leading companies across the mobile industry. In the first three quarters of 2005, more than 23 million Symbian OS mobile phones were sold worldwide to over 250 network operators, bringing the total number of Symbian OS phones shipped to almost 48 million.
Symbian has its headquarters in London, United Kingdom with offices in the United States, Europe (England and Sweden (UIQ Technology AB)), Israel and Asia (India, P.R. China, Korea, and Japan).
About Elektrobit
Elektrobit specializes in wireless technology — the design and life-cycle testing of electronic products, as well as in production automation. Elektrobit Group is a versatile engineering company, which, in addition to its design services, develops, sells and markets its own technologies and products to customers. The company’s customers include the telecommunications, automotive, defense and space, industrial automation, and well-being and medical industries. Elektrobit employs some 1600 wireless technology experts in 14 countries. The Group’s net sales for the year 2004 totaled 203 million euro. Elektrobit Group Plc. is listed on the Helsinki Exchanges. http://www.elektrobit.com
