Microsoft is buying cellphone smartphone software maker Danger, strengthening its position in the consumer mobile space. Danger is best know for providing the software and technology behind the SideKick.
With the acquisition of Danger, Microsoft will benefit from the company’s
nearly 10 years of expertise with mobile consumers. The Palo Alto,
California-based company provides services that allow people to keep in
touch, stay organized and keep informed while on the go through real-time
mobile messaging, social networking services, web browsing and personal
information management applications. Combining these services with
Microsoft’s connected entertainment and mobile technologies will provide
Microsoft with the tools to accelerate its work to create industry-leading
entertainment and communication experiences for consumers.
In addition to the acquisition of Danger, Microsoft highlighted its
partnership with Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB to make Windows
Mobile phones, announced extended reach of Windows Live and MSN Direct
services around the world, and demonstrated how the increased adoption of
Microsoft software is giving consumers more control over digital content.
Businesses including Brightstar Corp, Cbeyond, MTS (Mobile TeleSystems OJSC),
Omnifone Ltd, Orascom Telecom Holding, TechData, Telecom Italia, Telefonica,
Wind Greece and Wind Italy unveiled plans today to tap Microsoft for its
latest mobile innovations.
Microsoft Entertainment and Devices Division President Robbie Bach
announced the news today in a keynote address at Mobile World Congress 2008
as he articulated a comprehensive vision for the capabilities that Microsoft
and its mobile partner network plan to deliver.
“We believe wherever you go, your phone should bring your world with
you,” Bach said. “Microsoft will build upon our current offerings to business
users by delivering a whole new range of experiences to mobile consumers. And
we have the broadest partnerships, the finest people, and the best software
and services to get us there.”
Today’s announcements build on Microsoft’s current partnerships with
nearly every device maker and mobile operator in the world. With yesterday’s
addition of Sony Ericsson, Windows Mobile alone runs phones from 50 device
makers used by 160 mobile operators. Microsoft software and services
including Windows Mobile, Windows Live Messenger, Hotmail and Windows Live
Spaces, the world’s most widely used weblogging service, are also used by
device-makers including HTC Corp, LG Electronics, Motorola Inc, Nokia, Palm
Inc, Research in Motion Ltd and Samsung.
Creating New Experiences for Mobile Consumers
Part of Microsoft’s focus to help more people worldwide take advantage of
increasingly powerful mobile technology is to enable new entertaining,
informative and interactive experiences.
At 3GSM 2007, Microsoft unveiled PlayReady, a new content access
technology that enables content owners and service providers to deliver and
manage virtually any type of digital content using a wide range of business
models. In just one year it has gained significant industry momentum,
including a recently announced collaborative effort with Nokia to build
support for PlayReady technology into the Nokia S60 and Series 40 mobile
device platforms.