Nokia proved to be quite busy at the CeBIT conference in Hanover, Germany Tuesday. In addition to parading new phones, Java support and multimedia
messaging, the world’s No. 1 phone maker said it selected RealNetworks Inc.’s RealOne digital media player for its wireless gadgets.
The terms of the alliance call for Finland’s Nokia to embed the mobile version of RealOne as a standard feature on all its mobile
devices that use the Symbian operating system — Nokia’s choice over Palm Inc. for 2.5G and 3G mobile devices.
RealOne Player will be a standard feature on the Nokia Series 60 Platform, which the firm licenses to fellow mobile device
manufacturers. Moreover, Nokia Networks will resell RealNetworks’ media delivery platform RealSystemMobile (unveiled at 3GSM World
Congress in February) to other mobile operators.
Tuesday’s alliance is the expansion of an alliance announced earlier that saw RealNetworks putting its audio and video wares on the
Nokia 9210 communicator. More than that, the deal is a resounding win for RealNetworks over chief digital media software rival
Microsoft Corp. .
Rob Glaser, chief executive officer and chairman of RealNetworks, called the deal a milestone in terms of digital media provisions
for mobile services.
“By extending the reach of the RealOne Player into the market-leading Nokia mobile phones, we are enabling consumers to enjoy
digital media wherever and whenever they want, and content owners to gain access to new distribution opportunities,” Glaser said in
a public statement.
The companies will put their heads together to help consumers transfer audio and video from the RealOne Player on their PC to their
Nokia mobile devices, as well as jointly address digital rights management issues.
Nokia will offer RealSystem Mobile as part of a infrastructure solution to operators in the second quarter of 2002. The mobile
version of the RealOne Player will be included with the 9210i Communicator, which Nokia plans to make available in Europe, Asia, and
Africa in the second quarter of 2002, and the 9290 Communicator, scheduled to be rolled out in the U.S. in the same quarter. It will
also be available for the 7650 later this year.