While the Nokia-Intel agreement targets collaboration on IPR, mobile chips, devices, and open source OS and applications development platforms, it also signals the monumental shift that is taking place – from mobile communications to cloud communications of voice, text, and data. Call this the Cloud 4G Era that compels a high degree of collaboration between IT and mobile voice-text Titans.
Two major categories of market forces drive the agreement forward:
- The shift of computing and content communications from duplicative centralized IT departments and dedicated servers to the public and private Cloud Computing environment.
- A shift of mobile to broadband that enables and is driven by open source applications and Internet access.
These accelerate software virtualization of underlying hardware and communications networks.
Why the deal? Why now?
As we have said in prior articles and reports, the WiMAX/802.16 and 3GPP LTE standards are being driven closer together as they pursue IMT-Advanced. Reasons for that should by now be well understood. Despite Nokia’s past declarations that it does not see WiMAX as a mobile development, Intel has chaperoned the emergence of WiMAX as a technology leader that challenges these established assumptions. In the process, WiMAX has changed the structure of wireless IPR, chip design, immediacy of conversion to flat IP networks, and the shift to open source software development and market channels. WiMAX’s influence may have appeared more as a threat than a reality to date, but its impact has been cumulative.
While Intel has aggressively pursued WiMAX technology and ecosystem development (and is likely to continue), market share gains have expectedly been hard fought. Meanwhile, Intel has enjoyed growth in the new category of netbook devices that stand between Smartphones and notebooks. Intel has also prepared to enter UMD – ultra mobile devices – a class that is between netbooks and Smartphones. This has proved challenging because it requires smaller batteries but hopes to achieve the vision for wearable computers including voice recognition, higher resolution graphics, and faster program operation.
Nokia has seen their market share suffer at the hands of the new open source software driven device model that was championed by Apple iPhone. The wild enthusiasm with which iPhone was received has resulted in a firestorm of applications development that helped it gain market share. RIM also has gained market share and Google Android is set to be unleashed by Motorola, Huawei, and HCT, along with many white label device suppliers. Nokia’s open source software efforts have lagged despite heavy investment.
The Agreement Widely Covered
The media has widely covered this agreement: business, IT industry, wireless, and investment articles have dissected the meaning of the agreement and show the breadth of impact of this monumental collaboration.
To some degree, the outcome of the agreement is not as important as what it signifies: that the standards, IPR, and business segments are being stirred in a new stew that disrupts old alliances and clashes.
For more discussion and references see: http://www.agglom.com/set/68167/Clash_Collaboration_of_the_Titans_Intel_Nokia_Signal_the_Cloud_4G_Era
For more information you can contact the author at robert@maravedis-bwa.com
Copyright © 2009 by Maravedis Inc. All Rights Reserved.
No reproduction without consent.
>> Top |
