While the industry looks to foster the growth of third-party software, many of the industry’s advanced phone makers will not replace a ruined device if that same third-party software caused the problem.
“It hasn’t been an issue yet,” said Michael King, senior analyst at Gartner Research. “It doesn’t mean it won’t be.”
As the wireless industry continues its slow march toward data, such issues serve to highlight the many and varied challenges voice players face as they enter the wireless computing market. With wireless carriers beginning to offer ring tones, games and other wireless data applications, they and the rest of the industry have been forced to face issues such as digital rights management, transmission speeds and other computer- and Internet-oriented subjects.
Another issue that further complicates the situation centers on warranties.
Mobile-phone heavyweights Sony Ericsson and Nokia Corp. said they will honor device warranties if the problem is due to software in the phone itself or a company-certified application. Nokia offers a software certification process, allowing third-party developers to gain the “Nokia OK” stamp on their applications. Such a stamp ensures that the application has been rigorously tested and works seamlessly with the phone. Sony Ericsson has a similar although less-formal certification process for software for its devices.
However, the vast majority of applications for high-end wireless devices are not certified, as developers must pay for the testing and endorsement process.
And, if a user downloads a non-certified application, he or she risks voiding the warranty.
“It is becoming a lot more like a PC environment,” Gartner’s King said.
Desktop computer users have been dealing with such issues for decades, and most computer warranties don’t cover third-party software. Indeed, Sony Ericsson and Nokia borrowed their warranty policies from the PC market. However, Palm Inc. said its users don’t have to deal with the issue because Palm devices include a “hard reset” button that essentially wipes the device clean of any third-party software glitches.
Wireless players have so far been careful not to introduce the need for hard resets. Most wireless carriers conduct lengthy testing processes for any application introduced on their networks, a situation that has even led to the creation of a market for application-testing companies. Further, application systems like Qualcomm Inc.’s BREW application download service include strict testing policies, as well as functions to quickly pull troublesome applications from phone menus, thus stemming potential software problems.
“The carriers have been pretty good about application testing,” King said.
However, advanced mobile phones like Sony Ericsson’s P800, Nokia’s 3650 and the Orange SPV bring up even further warranty issues. Such phones work much like desktop computers, with third-party software working over an internal operating system. In some cases, users can bypass carrier networks to install third-party software by connecting the device to a desktop computer.
Indeed, European carrier Orange sought to protect against potential third-party software problems on its SPV device, which uses Microsoft Corp.’s Smartphone operating system. The carrier included a software lock on the phone, meaning users could install only applications tested and approved by Orange. Shortly after the phone’s release, SPV enthusiasts discovered a way to bypass the software lock and install non-certified software.
“I think a lot of it will fall to the carrier in the long term,” King said, explaining that wireless users have a direct relationship with their providers and will likely complain first to carriers of any service or device problems.
Thus, King said, carriers have strong reason to test and certify applications going out to their subscribers. At the same time, however, carriers and the rest of the industry have been looking to foster third-party application development as a way to increase offerings to wireless users. But, as progress continues, the issue may become moot as wireless devices more resemble computers, and users can download applications from sources outside the carrier’s network.
Beyond just software glitches, the real concern comes from the potential for mobile viruses.
“We don’t see malicious code becoming a problem until 2005 or so, but the testing of applications will continue to be important,” King said.
Because the wireless industry is awash in competing operating systems and device types, any one virus is not likely to spread too far. However, the possibility remains, and several text message-based viruses and prank messages have already circulated through Europe, Asia and elsewhere.
