Initiative aims for modular phone software

The Configurable Phone Initiative aims to support the development of mobile phones with modular software architectures that are easy to adapt with new applications and user interface features.

A new "Configurable Phone Initiative" aims to support the development of mobile phones with modular software architectures that are easy to adapt with new applications and user interface features during the life of the design - even while the phone is in the field.

The initiative will be unveiled at 3GSM by Open-Plug.

Leading networks, phone makers, IC vendors and application developers supporting the initiative include Modelabs, Philips Semiconductors, France Telecom R and D, Sasken and Jaatayu.

Based around the Open-Plug Elips component based Linux framework, field proven mass market phone devices can be configured on demand at production or in the field with new services and applications.

This is the first time operators have been offered the opportunity to deploy new applications or user interfaces to phones in this way.

ModeLabs will unveil the first configurable phone at 3GSM in Cannes.

"The Configurable Phone Initiative allows operators to provide easily and timely segmented phone offers bundled with value added services for the first time", said Henri-Nicolas Olivier, Vice President of Business Development at ModeLabs.

"This allows our customers, principally the European operators, to increase their ARPU with new services and phone concepts which is at the core of our value proposition".

France Telecom R and D (FTRD), which develops next generation services and user interfaces for Orange, endorsed the need for configurable phones.

Haila Wang, CTO at FTRD Beijing commented: "We selected Elips, supporting the Configurable Phone Initiative as it allows us to develop services and applications on real mass market phones, providing platforms for field trials and consumer tests, with the shortest road to mass production".

Eric Baissus, CEO, Open-Plug said: "The configurable phone concept is backed-up by a partner network that already includes networks, phone makers, application software developers, operators, and system houses, all using Open-Plug technology to allow the widest and fastest customisation possible for mobile terminals".

"With its configurable phone concept, Open-Plug gives access to this large development community, and actually simplifies the whole value chain to develop and deploy new services".

Elips and the Configurable Phone Initiative will be presented at 3GSM in Cannes.

It uses Open-Plug's Elips component-based Linux framework for embedded devices, which revolutionises the way software is integrated, validated and deployed.

Elips is a unique technology that makes a component-based approach applicable to mobile phone systems with no impact on platform performance.

It efficiently interfaces with any native environment and allows developers to continue using familiar tools and techniques, thereby minimising additional investment and familiarisation time.

Members of the Configurable Phone Initiative are offered a complete development and deployment framework by Open Plug, including: Elips SDK, providing a complete software development kit to develop, integrate and download software applications on Elips enabled phones; complementary configurable phones, consisting of a type approved phone platform, enabled by Elips on which application packages developed with the Elips SDK can be deployed; and access to the Elips Mobile Edition and Component database, providing a complete application framework and pre-integrated applications, including the latest MMI, messaging, gaming, e-mail and browser applications from Open-Plug's application software partners.

The Elips SDK and configurable phones are immediately available from Open-Plug.

Configurable phones can be provided in volume through the Open-Plug partner network at short notice as it uses typically existing mass market phone platforms from existing suppliers.

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