Industry players announced new alliances and applications targeting on-the-go workers last week, signs that the much-sought-after enterprise market is progressing steadily.
Nextel Communications Inc. said that it will partner with Symbol Technologies Inc. to develop and co-market mobile computing solutions, including embedding the carrier’s iDEN technology into future handheld devices. The companies hope to produce voice and data mobile applications to help businesses reduce operating costs and increase workforce activity.
“I think (the partnership) makes sense for both these companies,” said analyst Eugene Signorini of the Yankee Group. “The concept here is to take two players who’ve been much more vertically focused” and broaden their offerings.
A 30-year-old veteran, Symbol produces bar-code scanners, mobile and fixed-mount computers, wireless networks and mobile software for retailers and government agencies, among others. The new alliance will target vertical field service and sales workers in industries such as transportation and distribution, public safety, manufacturing and telecommunications.
The partnership will allow consumers with handhelds featuring the embedded iDEN technology to access both Nextel’s nationwide wireless network and Symbol’s enterprise mobility architecture. Symbol and Nextel plan to use each other’s channel partner and reseller networks to market the new products.
“This joint effort will help our customers take advantage of potential productivity gains enabled by integrated wireless mobile computers with advanced data capture,” said Chuck Dourlet, Symbol’s vice president of mobile computing product marketing. “Symbol plans to expand its portfolio of wide-area wireless-enabled mobile computing devices so that our customers can leverage Nextel’s nationwide network and service offerings.”
Signorini said it was unlikely the agreement would have a major impact on Motorola Inc., which produces all of Nextel’s handsets as well as the infrastructure for the carrier’s iDEN network.
“But I do think it’s notable Nextel is exploring partners beyond Motorola,” he added.
Also last week, Nextel announced an agreement with software developer Prophesy Transportation Solutions Inc. to develop dispatch services for the long-haul trucking market. The companies hope to market new global positioning system-enabled mobile applications that provide real-time shipment tracking and route mapping via the carrier’s wireless network.
In a separate announcement, Atlanta-based mobile software developer Air2Web announced its own transportation solution, unveiling 2CRM. In use since March, the application provides two-way wireless access between drivers and back-end trucking operations systems and can be used on J2ME- or BREW-enabled handsets as well as smart phones and personal digital assistants.
The application also allows drivers to access information while outside the network because their devices are constantly receiving information inside the network, said Dale Gonzalez, Air2Web’s chief technology officer.
“The network layer knows whether a driver is outside of the network or not,” Gonzalez said. “A handset is constantly updating as it sees the network.”
More than 400 drivers are using the application already, Gonzalez said. Air2Web said it plans to unveil similar applications in the near future.
In addition, longtime foes Palm-One Inc. and Microsoft Corp. announced an agreement that will allow future Treo smart phones to use Microsoft’s Exchange Server e-mail protocol. The partnership will give PalmOne customers with Treos compatibility with Exchange Server 2003 data, including wireless e-mail and calendar.
By integrating the protocol, PalmOne eliminates the need for a third-party server and can offer out-of-the-box capability. The agreement marks the first time a non-Microsoft company has licensed the protocol, PalmOne said.
“We believe that the combination of Treo smart phones and Exchange Server 2003 can significantly enhance end-user productivity by providing a secure, direct, easily implemented wireless e-mail while simultaneously lowering IT costs by eliminating the need for middleware,” said Dave Thompson, vice president of Exchange Server at Microsoft.
Yankee’s Signorini said the partnership was a good move for both companies.
“I think (the agreement) does show that Microsoft can be a formidable opponent in the mobility space,” Signorini said. “If PalmOne really wants to succeed, there has to be some sort of working relationship with Microsoft.”
The announcement has been seen by some as a blow to PalmOne competitors Good Technology and Research in Motion Ltd., which makes the popular BlackBerry device. But Signorini said any declaration of winners or losers would be premature in the young mobile enterprise segment.
“I think it’s too early to say any partnership is a formidable one in the mobility space,” he said. “The enterprise segment hasn’t advanced beyond toddlerhood.”
