Consumer confusion [mobile phone software]

Abstract

The mobile phone industry is developing a split personality, which is having a knock-on effect on the design of handsets. Although the hardware side is getting easier for 2.5 G handsets, the software side demands as much attention to commercial politics as technical detail. This article discusses open-market and operator-centric phone software with respect to operator services, picture phones, mp3 support and the use of Java. Business models for various operational scenarios are also examined.