@CES: AT&T Mobility readies for Android onslaught

LAS VEGAS – AT&T Mobility officially jumped on the Android bandwagon announcing it planned to launch five devices during the first half of this year powered by Google Inc.’s operating system.
The announcement came a day after Google announced its Nexus One device, which the Internet search giant plans to sell directly to consumers for $529 or with a T-Mobile USA Inc. service contract for a subsidized price of $180. The Google device lacks the a 3G radio that would allow it to work on AT&T Mobility’s network, though it did announce plans to launch a version supporting Verizon Wireless’ CDMA-based 3G network as well as Vodafone Group plc’s 3G network.
AT&T Mobility said the Android-powered devices would be provided by Motorola Inc., which would use Motorola’s MotoBlur user interface and an exclusive form factor to AT&T Mobility; Dell Inc.’s first smartphone based on the Android OS and exclusive to the carrier; and an exclusive device from HTC Corp., which also manufactures the Nexus One for Google.
AT&T Mobility is the sole remaining nationwide operator to date that does not offer a device powered by Google’s Android OS. The carrier does offer a handful of devices powered by Microsoft Corp.’s Windows Mobile OS as well as Research In Motion Ltd.’s BlackBerry devices and is of course is the exclusive domestic home to Apple Inc.’s iPhone.
Ovi available
Nokia Corp.’s Ovi Store gained some steam as well when AT&T Mobility said it would begin supporting the storefront for its customers using Nokia devices. Supported devices include the E71x, Surge, Mural, 6650, 6555 and 6350, with more devices expected to be enabled. Customers can have purchases made through the storefront included on their monthly AT&T Mobility bills.
Nokia’s Ovi initiative has been gaining traction slowly overseas; the company noted more than 50 million users in 180 countries have accessed the storefront. AT&T Mobility is the first domestic carrier to support the storefront option.
Strange BREW
AT&T Mobility also announced an agreement with Qualcomm Inc. to standardize application development using Qualcomm’s BREW platform for the carrier’s quick messaging devices (QMDs). Forrester
Research noted this week that the QMD segment posted dramatic growth over the past year with penetration of the devices growing from 9% of adult mobile users in 2008 to 15% of adult mobile users in 2009. AT&T Mobility said the QMD segment accounts for 30% of its sales.
Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. is scheduled to provide the first BREW-based device for AT&T Mobility during the second half of this year. In support of the new BREW devices, AT&T Mobility said it would provide a software developer kit to content companies that would help them write applications capable of running over the devices as well as future plans to expand developer help for application creation covering the company’s U-verse television, emerging consumer electronics devices and businesses.
Qualcomm announced in mid-2008 plans to make its BREW platform more attractive to carriers and application developers. Domestically, the platform has seen broad adoption from CDMA-based operators, including Verizon Wireless, Alltel and a number of smaller operators, with support last year coming from Sprint Nextel Corp.