Nokia is buying Symbian shares and making Symbian free for all

Recently, Finland mobile giant, Nokia, bought out its fellow shareholders in Symbian, the UK based handset Software Company. Nokia is now also making Symbian loyalty free. Market analysts believe that Nokia is doing it to outsmart its rivals and this is going to seriously hurt Microsoft, Google and other major mobile software producers. Currently, Symbian is used in two-thirds of the total smart phone handsets with computer like capabilities around the world and 6% of the total mobile phones around the world. Other major mobile softwares are: Android from Google; Apple’s iPhone, Windows Mobile from Microsoft; and BlackBerry of RIM. Telegraph.co.uk reports:

Nokia was quick yesterday to dismiss the idea that its moves were simply a reaction to its rivals. "This is a market-making move and looking at it as a response to anything would not do justice to what we are doing," said Kai Oistamo, executive vice-president of Nokia.

But analysts were in little doubt. "This move's a shrewd response to growing threats from other providers of mobile phone software," said Geoff Blaber of industry watchers CCS Insight.

Mr Blaber made particular reference to the "open-source" LiMo Foundation as well as Google's Android, which also promises to offer handset makers an operating system at virtually zero cost.

Nokia is also launching Symbian Foundation, a non-profit organization that will unite the Symbian with three user interfaces.

Currently, Windows Mobile from Microsoft is controlling 13% of the smart phone market. Microsoft charges from $8-$15 per phone from the handset makers and Symbian charges $4.10. As Nokia is going to make Symbian free for all, according to Carolina Milanesi, a Gartner analyst, this puts a lot of pressure on Microsoft as they are trying to make their place in the mobile phone market.

Related articles:
Telegraph.co.uk

Wikipedia

Sony does not think Microsoft or Nintendo as competitors

In terms of handheld games Sony thinks that it does not compete with either Nintendo or Microsoft. PS3 News:

“I think that PS3, PS2 and PSP are all entertainment platforms so I feel that our competition is not Microsoft or Nintendo, but basically any form of entertainment that is competing for the consumers’ attention,” SCE president Kaz Hirai said in an interview with MCV.

“So we need to make sure we offer the most compelling entertainment – not videogame but in in general. I can’t speak for their strategy but I like to think that we’ve got a very well balanced portfolio with PS3, PSP and you can’t discount the PS2.”

Sony is proud about the fact that their Play Station 3 has taken the lead from Xbox 360.

Related article:

PS3 News

sony

nintendo

Bill Gates in South Korea

On his Asia tour, last Tuesday, Bill Gates, Chairman, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), met with the President of South Korea, Lee Myung-bak. Mr.Gates forecasted a vast shift in Internet technology in the next ten years. In a press conference before the meeting with the President, Mr. Gates told the reporters that the people around the world are moving toward the second decade of the digital age. The internet had been operating for ten years and the second ten years will be different. After 2001, this is Bill Gates’ first tour in South Korea. International Herald Tribune reports:

The Blue House said in a statement that Microsoft, the South Korean government and South Korean companies will invest a total of US$313 million (€202 million) in information technology for vehicles, games and education.

Earlier, Microsoft Corp. and automakers Hyundai Motor Inc. and Kia Motors Corp. announced a deal whereby the South Korean companies will use Microsoft's in-car software, which allows people to control personal music players and telephones with voice commands.

The companies also said they planned to set up an automobile IT innovation center. Hyundai and its affiliate Kia together form the world's sixth-largest automotive group.

South Korea’s President Lee Myung-bak mentioned Bill Gates as member to his Global advisory committee. The projects declared during this visit will have major impact on South Korea’s economy. Microsoft also announced its plan to invest $280 million to build a research and development facility in Beijing and double the R&D staff to 3000 within three to five years.

Related articles:

International Herald Tribune

AFP

microsoft

hyundai

Microsoft in the Car Business with Hyundai

The visit of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT)head Bill gates has caused a lot of attention in the international media as well as in Korea. You know that Microsoft was trying to acquire yahoo in the last few days and that is why, many journalists were interested to get any opinion of Bill Gates about this matter. However, visit of Bill Gates was more significant and important for another reason. Here, Bill Gates announced a partnership with Hyundai Motor Company (SEO:005380), which is the number one car maker of Korea.

Microsoft will work together and set up an autoit innovation center. Hyundai will invest $166 millions while Microsoft will invest another $113 millions. This is really a win-win situation for both the companies. The partnership with Microsoft will surely give Hyundai an edge over its competitors about designing and improving their cars. On the other hand, Microsoft is looking to break into other markets, other than just Windows Operating System and Office. In fact, right now, Microsoft products are mainly used at home and officers. Microsoft wants to spread its area of business and make more profits. So, the car industry can be a good place to be because you know that car industry is a very rich industry and it can bring a lot of revenue for Microsoft in the coming days.