Symbian, RealNetworks form alliance

Next-generation mobile handsets can now add the mobile media experience to its many features. Symbian (www.symbian.com), a mobile operating systems vendor, and RealNetworks (www.realnetworks.com), an Internet media delivery provider, have formed an alliance to enable broad new classes of mobile multimedia solutions for developers using the Symbian OS.

As part of this relationship, RealNetworks has become a member of the Symbian Technology Partner Program. The program offers wireless technology providers the opportunity to work closely with Symbian in developing enabling technologies and to engage in co-marketing campaigns.

Symbian also assists technology partners in engaging directly with Symbian’s licensees and other partners to enable rapid time-to-market for Symbian OS-based mobile phones. Symbian’s licensees include Ericsson (www.ericsson.com), Kenwood (www.kenwood.com), Motorola (www.motorola.com), Nokia (www.nokia.com), Panasonic (www.panasonic.com), Psion (www.psion.com), Sanyo (www.sanyo.com), Siemens (www.siemens.com) and Sony (www.sony.com).

RealNetworks also is commercially releasing RealPlayer Mobile for Symbian OS. RealPlayer Mobile is the mobile version of the Internet media player and is optimized for Symbian OS version 6.0. It ships with the Nokia 9210 Communicator, available in Europe and supports the download and local playback of RealAudio and RealVideo.

According to Mark Edwards, Symbian executive vice president, sales and marketing, “The Symbian OS was designed to enable rich media applications, and RealNetworks has delivered a product that highlights the benefits of the operating system.”

Mark Bretl, RealNetworks vice president, agreed, and added that the combination provides the foundation for establishing business models of mobile media as a whole, including subscription services and secure music delivery.

If you’d like to view demonstration content for the Nokia 9210 Communicator, you can see it at www.real.com.