Mobile Leaders to Unify the Symbian Software Platform and Set the Future of Mobile Free; Foundation to be Established to Provide Royalty-free Open Platform and Accelerate Innovation

	
	
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Mobile Leaders to Unify the Symbian Software Platform and Set the Future
of Mobile Free; Foundation to be Established to Provide Royalty-free
Open Platform and Accelerate Innovation 	
 	 
London, June 24, 2008 - (JCN Newswire) - Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Motorola
and NTT DOCOMO announced today their intent to unite Symbian OS(TM),
S60, UIQ and MOAP(S) to create one open mobile software platform.
Together with AT&T, LG Electronics, Samsung Electronics,
STMicroelectronics, Texas Instruments and Vodafone they plan to
establish the Symbian Foundation to extend the appeal of this unified
software platform. Membership of this non-profit Foundation will be open
to all organizations. This initiative is supported by current
shareholders and management of Symbian Limited, who have been actively
involved in its development. Plans for the Foundation have already
received wide support from other industry leaders.

To enable the Foundation, Nokia today announced plans to acquire the
remaining shares of Symbian Limited that Nokia does not already own and
then contribute the Symbian and S60 software to the Foundation. Sony
Ericsson and Motorola today announced their intention to contribute
technology from UIQ and DOCOMO has also indicated its willingness to
contribute its MOAP(S) assets. From these contributions, the Foundation
will provide a unified platform with common UI framework. A full
platform will be available for all Foundation members under a
royalty-free license, from the Foundation's first day of operations.

Contributions from Foundation members through open collaboration will be
integrated to further enhance the platform. The Foundation will make
selected components available as open source at launch. It will then
work to establish the most complete mobile software offering available
in open source. This will be made available over the next two years and
is intended to be released under Eclipse Public License (EPL) 1.0.

The Foundation's platform will build on the leading open mobile software
platform, with more than 200 million phones, across 235 models, already
shipped by multiple vendors and tens of thousands of third-party
applications already available for Symbian OS-based devices.

"Ten years ago, Symbian was established by far sighted players to offer
an advanced open operating system and software skills to the whole
mobile industry", said Nigel Clifford, CEO of Symbian. "Our vision is to
become the most widely used software platform on the planet and indeed
today Symbian OS leads its market by any measure. Today's announcement
is a bold new step to achieve that vision by embracing a complete and
proven platform, offered in an open way, designed to stimulate
innovation which is at the heart of everything we do."

"Establishing the Foundation is one of the biggest contributions to an
open community ever made," said Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, CEO of Nokia.
"Nokia is a strong supporter of open platforms and technologies as they
give the freedom to build, maintain and evolve applications and services
across device segments and offer by far the largest ecosystem, enabling
rapid innovation. Today's announcement is a major milestone in our
devices software strategy."

"The complete, consistent platform that the Foundation plans to provide
will allow manufacturers to focus on their unique differentiation at a
device level" said Dick Komiyama, President of Sony Ericsson. "Sony
Ericsson believes that the unified Symbian Foundation platform will
greatly simplify the world for handset manufacturers, operators and
developers, enabling greater innovation in services and applications to
the benefit of consumers everywhere."

"Motorola has long been a leader and advocate of open software for
mobile platforms. We're excited to be joining Nokia, Sony Ericsson, NTT
DOCOMO and others in leading this open source effort to form the new
Symbian Foundation and unite the Symbian ecosystem," said Alain Mutricy,
Senior Vice President, Platforms & Technology Office, Motorola Mobile
Devices. "Also, Motorola, together with Sony Ericsson, will be
contributing UIQ technology to the Foundation and will work with UIQ as
they are refocusing as an important supplier in the new Symbian
ecosystem. This will be a great addition, as the Foundation will be able
to leverage UIQ's unique experience, which includes expertise in touch
technology."

"DOCOMO welcomes this development and we look forward to moving our
Symbian based devices and service onto the Foundation platform. We are
also willing to contribute our MOAP(S) assets to the Foundation. This is
a very positive step in further increasing the adoption of the Symbian
software and creating an even more open, consistent and complete
platform. The Foundation software will enable us to enjoy the benefits
of a global platform in bringing new, leading-edge services to the
Japanese market. It will increase efficiency and help us provide our
wide customer base with the most advanced mobile experiences." said
Toshio Miki, Associate Senior Vice President, Managing Director of
Communication Device Development Department of NTT DOCOMO.

"Mobile phones have turned into sophisticated multimedia computers and
smart phones continue to grow in popularity," said Kris Rinne, Senior
Vice President of Architecture and Planning at AT&T. "The Symbian
Foundation will reduce fragmentation in the industry and holds the
promise of incorporating leading technology and the most mature software
into a unified platform for the entire industry. This will create an
environment that will encourage and enable developers to build
compelling applications that will positively affect our customers' lives
and support AT&T in offering its differentiated services to consumers."

"Joining the Symbian Foundation is an ideal opportunity for LG to
broaden our commitment to providing our customers with the best possible
mobile experience" said Dr. Skott Ahn, President and CEO of LG
Electronics Mobile Communications Company. "We believe that open mobile
platforms will contribute to advance the mobile industry. At LG we will
play a leading role in creating a better mobile environment, working
with the Symbian Foundation to provide our customers with smart new
features based on this open platform."

"Samsung Electronics is committed to Symbian as one of the future
platforms for our mobile devices and believes that establishing the
Foundation is a visionary move in positioning the platform as the most
proven open platform for future development. We are delighted to be
playing a significant role in that future by joining the Foundation
board. We have already used Symbian and S60 software successfully to
deliver appealing devices and see these steps making the platform even
more attractive for bringing the latest technologies and services to the
market" said Dr. Do Hun Kwon, VP & Managing Director, Samsung
Electronics Research Institute.

"ST sees strong consumer demand, across all segments, for a richer
multimedia experience," said Monica de Virgiliis, General Manager of the
Wireless Multimedia Division, STMicroelectronics. "This new foundation
synchronizes and harmonizes the mainstream software approach to address
this need and makes the software widely available. We anticipate this
will fuel the growth of multimedia-capable devices and we are excited
about being able to leverage our long-standing leadership in consumer
digital multimedia to satisfy more and more consumers."

"TI has long supported open platforms, and we are excited about the
formation of the Symbian Foundation. We believe the new structure will
remove barriers to innovation in the mobile industry by providing a
common platform on which exciting next-generation applications and
services can be built," said Greg Delagi, senior vice president of TI's
Wireless Business Unit. "Manufacturers can get a head-start on
development with TI's proven OMAP-based Symbian S60 software development
platform. Combined with the Foundation's open collaboration model, this
will allow more developers to harness the performance and multimedia
capabilities of the OMAP family to accelerate improvements in the mobile
user experience."

"Vodafone believes this is a significant step in driving mobile
innovation for the Internet as well as creating a richer mobile
experience for our customers" said Jens Schulte-Bockum, Vodafone's
Global Director of Terminals. "We have been challenging the industry to
reduce complexity and focus on fewer operating systems. This step will
help to drive even faster innovation, as well as enable operators to
accelerate time-to-market for compelling and varied new services."

Foundation members share the vision that the Foundation will unify the
software platform, supercharge innovation and accelerate the
availability of new services and compelling experiences for consumers
and business users around the world. The combined platform is already
one of the most advanced and widely used mobile platforms, making it
highly attractive for all ecosystem partners, including developers,
mobile operators, content and service providers and device
manufacturers.

The Foundation is expected to start operating during the first half of
2009, subject to the closing of the acquisition of Symbian Ltd by Nokia.

Note to Editors:

A press conference will be webcast live from London today at 11:00 UK
time and will be available for replay later. Please visit
www.symbianfoundation.org to see the webcast.

Further information about Symbian Foundation is available at
www.symbianfoundation.org .

Symbian and all Symbian based trademarks and logos are trademarks of
Symbian Software Limited. The operation of the proposed Symbian
Foundation remains subject to regulatory approvals. Until such approvals
are obtained, and the Symbian Foundation has become fully operational,
Symbian Software Limited retains exclusive responsibility for all
licensing and marketing activities related to Symbian OS.

Further statements of support for the Symbian Foundation:
http://www.nttdocomo.com/pr/files/20080624_attachment.pdf 

About AT&T 

AT&T Inc (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company. Its
subsidiaries and affiliates, AT&T operating companies, are the providers
of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. Among their
offerings are the world's most advanced IP-based business communications
services and the nation's leading wireless, high speed internet access
and voice services. In domestic markets, AT&T is known for the directory
publishing and advertising sales leadership of its Yellow Pages and
YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations, and the AT&T brand is licensed to
innovators in such fields as communications equipment. As part of its
three-screen integration strategy, AT&T is expanding TV offerings. In
2008, AT&T again ranked No. 1 on Fortune magazine's World's Most Admired
Telecommunications Company list. Additional information about AT&T Inc
and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and
affiliates is available at www.att.com .

About LG Electronics, Inc.

LG Electronics, Inc. (KSE: 066570.KS) is a global leader and technology
innovator in consumer electronics, home appliances and mobile
communications, employing more than 82,000 people working in 114
operations including 82 subsidiaries around the world. With 2007 global
sales of USD 44 billion, LG is comprised of four business units - Mobile
Communications, Digital Appliance, Digital Display and Digital Media. LG
is the world's leading producer of mobile handsets, flat panel TVs, air
conditioners, front-loading washing machines, optical storage products,
DVD players and home theater systems.

LG Electronics Mobile Communication Company (LG) is a leading producer
of mobile handsets. LG creates handsets that provide optimized mobile
experience to customers around the world with its cutting-edge
technology and innovative handset design capabilities. With advanced
wireless solutions, LG is rapidly expanding its presence and market
share globally. For more information, please visit www.lge.com . 

About Motorola 

Motorola is known around the world for innovation in communications. The
company develops technologies, products and services that make mobile
experiences possible. Our portfolio includes communications
infrastructure, enterprise mobility solutions, digital set-tops, cable
modems, mobile devices and Bluetooth accessories. Motorola is committed
to delivering next generation communication solutions to people,
businesses and governments. A Fortune 100 company with global presence
and impact, Motorola had sales of US $36.6 billion in 2007. For more
information about our company, our people and our innovations, please
visit www.Motorola.com . 

About Nokia

Nokia is the world leader in mobility, driving the transformation and
growth of the converging Internet and communications industries. We make
a wide range of mobile devices with services and software that enable
people to experience music, navigation, video, television, imaging,
games, business mobility and more. Developing and growing our offering
of consumer Internet services, as well as our enterprise solutions and
software, is a key area of focus. We also provide equipment, solutions
and services for communications networks through Nokia Siemens Networks.


About NTT DOCOMO 
NTT DOCOMO is the world's leading mobile communications company. DOCOMO
serves over 53 million customers, including 44 million people
subscribing to FOMA?, launched as the world's first 3G mobile service
based on W-CDMA in 2001. DOCOMO also offers a wide variety of
leading-edge mobile multimedia services, including i-mode?, the world's
most popular mobile e-mail/Internet service, used by 48 million people.
With the addition of credit-card and other e-wallet functions, DOCOMO
mobile phones have become highly versatile tools for daily life. NTT
DOCOMO is listed on the Tokyo (9437), London (NDCM) and New York (DCM)
stock exchanges. For more information, visit www.nttdocomo.com . 

About Samsung Electronics 

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor,
telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies
with 2007 consolidated sales of US$103.4 billion. Employing
approximately 150,000 people in 134 offices in 62 countries, the company
consists of four main business units: Digital Media Business, LCD
Business, Semiconductor Business, and Telecommunication Business.
Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung
Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, memory chips, mobile
phones and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com


About Sony Ericsson 

Having sold over 100 million phones in 2007, Sony Ericsson is currently
one of the five largest mobile phone manufacturers in the world. An
important industry player operating in over 80 countries, our phones,
accessories and PC cards are synonymous with innovation and style. With
R&D sites in Europe, Japan, China, India and North America, diversity is
one of the core strengths of the company. Sony Ericsson was established
as a 50:50 joint venture by Sony and Ericsson in October 2001, with
global corporate functions located in London. For more information about
Sony Ericsson please visit www.sonyericsson.com . 

About STMicroelectronics 

STMicroelectronics is a global leader in developing and delivering
semiconductor solutions across the spectrum of microelectronics
applications. An unrivalled combination of silicon and system expertise,
manufacturing strength, Intellectual Property (IP) portfolio and
strategic partners positions the Company at the forefront of
System-on-Chip (SoC) technology and its products play a key role in
enabling today's convergence markets. The Company's shares are traded on
the New York Stock Exchange, on Euronext Paris and on the Milan Stock
Exchange. In 2007, the Company's net revenues were $10 billion. Further
information on ST can be found at www.st.com .

About Symbian 

Symbian is a software licensing company that develops and licenses
Symbian OS, the market-leading open operating system for mobile phones.
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. During Q1 2008, 18.5 million
Symbian mobile phones were sold worldwide to over 250 major network
operators, bringing the total number of units shipped up to 31 March
2008 to 206 million. Symbian has its headquarters in London, United
Kingdom, with offices in the United States, United Kingdom, Asia (India,
P.R. China, and Korea) and Japan. For more information, please visit
www.symbian.com .

About Texas Instruments 

Texas Instruments (NYSE: TXN) helps customers solve problems and develop
new electronics that make the world smarter, healthier, safer, greener
and more fun. A global semiconductor company, TI innovates through
manufacturing, design and sales operations in more than 25 countries.
For more information, go to www.ti.com .

NTT DOCOMO

NTT DoCoMo is the world's leading mobile communications company. DoCoMo
serves more than 51 million customers, of which more than half subscribe
to FOMA(TM), launched as the world's first 3G mobile service based on
W-CDMA in 2001. DoCoMo also offers a wide variety of leading-edge mobile
multimedia services, including i-mode(TM), the world's most popular
mobile e-mail/ Internet service, used by more than 46 million users.
With the addition of credit-card and other e-wallet functions, DoCoMo
mobile phones have become highly versatile tools for daily life. NTT
DoCoMo is listed on the Tokyo (9437), London (NDCM) and New York (DCM)
stock exchanges. For more information, visit www.nttdocomo.com .

Sony 

Sony Corporation is a leading manufacturer of audio, video, game,
communications, key device and information technology products for the
consumer and professional markets. With its music, pictures, computer
entertainment and on-line businesses, Sony is uniquely positioned to be
the leading personal broadband entertainment company in the world. Sony
recorded consolidated annual sales of approximately $70 billion for the
fiscal year ended March 31, 2007. For more information, please visit the
Sony Global Web Site at www.sony.net .

Samsung Electronics

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (KSE: 0083) is a global leader in
semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence
technologies with 2003 parent company sales of US$36.4 billion and net
income of US$5.0 billion. Employing approximately 88,000 people in 89
offices in 46 countries, the company consists of five main business
units: Digital Appliance Business, Digital Media Business, LCD Business,
Semiconductor Business and Telecommunication Network Business.
Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung
Electronics is the world's largest producer of color monitors, memory
chips, and TFT-LCDs. 

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. For more
information, please visit www.nokia.com.

Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments Incorporated is the world leader in digital signal
processing and analog technologies, the semiconductor engines of the
Internet age. In addition to Semiconductor, the company's businesses
include Sensors & Controls, and Educational & Productivity Solutions. TI
is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and has manufacturing, design or
sales operations in more than 25 countries.

AT&T Wireless

AT&T Wireless (NYSE: AWE) is the largest independently traded wireless
carrier in the United States, following our split from AT&T on July 9,
2001. We operate one of the largest digital wireless networks in North
America. With more than 19.5 million subscribers, and full-year 2001
revenues exceeding $13.6 billion, AT&T Wireless is committed to being
among the first to deliver the next generation of wireless products and
services. Today, we offer customers high-quality mobile wireless
communications services, voice or data, to businesses or consumers, in
the U.S. and internationally. AT&T Wireless Customer Advantage is our
commitment to ensure that customers have the right equipment, the right
calling plan, and the right customer services options -- today and
tomorrow.

Vodafone

Vodafone is the world's leading international mobile communications
group with over 260 million proportionate customers as of 31st March
2008. Vodafone currently has equity interests in 25 countries across
five continents and a further 42 partner networks worldwide. For more
information, please visit www.vodafone.com .

news alerts headline
NTT DOCOMO, INC.
International PR
Public Relations Department
Tel: 81-3-5156-1366
Fax: 81-3-5501-3408
website: http://www.nttdocomo.com
  _____  

2008-06-24 15:07
Source NTT DOCOMO(XETRA: MCN) (ZOBEX: MCN) (EUREX: MCN) (STU: MCN) (TSE:
9437) (LSE: NDCM) (NYSE: DCM) (PK: NTDMF) 






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